Israel and Iran have continued to exchange strikes in their latest conflict, which began on Friday.
There has been angry rhetoric from both sides, and US President Donald Trump is now considering whether to join Israel’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
It started when Israel attacked nuclear and military sites in Iran, and then Iran retaliated with aerial attacks targeting Israel.
More than 220 people have been killed in Israeli strikes so far, according to Iran’s health ministry, while Israel says Iranian attacks have killed 24 people.
Israel launches Operation Rising Lion, and Iran retaliates
On Thursday 12 June, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told people in Tehran’s District 18, which includes military buildings and residential neighbourhoods, to evacuate.
Hours later, the first volley of strikes was reported in Tehran at about 03:30 local time (01:00 BST) on Friday, with residential areas in the capital hit, Iranian state television reported.
BBC journalists are unable to report from inside Iran due to restrictions by the country’s government, making it difficult to assess the damage caused by Israel’s offensive.
Israel targeted the Natanz nuclear facility – about 225km (140 miles) south of Tehran, causing significant damage, the IDF said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack – called Operation Rising Lion – targeted “the heart” of Iran’s nuclear programme.
“If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time,” Netanyahu claimed. Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel “should anticipate a severe punishment”, while its foreign minister called the strikes a “declaration of war”.
Iran’s retaliation began hours later, when ballistic missile attacks were launched on “dozens of targets, military centres and air bases” in Israel, in an operation it called True Promise 3.
The IDF said about 100 missiles were launched towards Israel, and most had been intercepted by its Iron Dome system.
These exchanges have continued for days.
Source: BBC
