Latest news: Israel attacks Iran
Firefighters and people clean up the scene of an explosion in a residence compound after Israel attacked Iran's capital Tehran, Friday, June 13, 2025. Credit: AP/Vahid Salemi
Israel launched a wave of strikes across Iran on Friday that targeted its nuclear program and military sites, killing at least two top military officers and raising the prospect of an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.
The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and appeared certain to trigger a reprisal. Hours later, Israel’s military said it had begun intercepting Iranian drones launched in retaliation.
Israeli leaders cast the attack as necessary to head off an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs, though it remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that.
Israel says Iran has launched missiles
Israel says Iran has launched missiles
The Israeli military’s Home Front Command has instructed people to move into shelters ahead of an expected Iranian missile attack.
The army says Iran has launched missiles, and the safety order applies to the entire country.
Israel’s Channel 13 TV says the missiles are expected to take about 10 minutes to arrive.
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U.S. fighter jets take flight to protect personnel and installations in Middle East
American fighter jets are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, according to a U.S. official. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.
It comes at the same time as the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean. A second destroyer also has begun moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House.
Iran reports explosions at another nuclear site
The Fordo nuclear enrichment facility is buried hundreds of meters underground.
Nour News, which is close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported on its Telegram channel that two explosions were heard from the area nearby.
Separately, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported that a radar site near Tabriz was attacked, according to an official in the East Azerbaijan province.
Majid Farshi told IRNA that 11 military sites in East Azerbaijan province have been attacked, and that 18 people were killed, including one Red Crescent aid worker.
A new wave of attacks appears to have begun in Tehran
Civilian witnesses told The Associated Press they heard what sounded like loud explosions in neighborhoods in the capital’s east, west and center, while an AP journalist in the city’s north also heard a blast.
Air defense systems were heard going off Friday night in Tehran. There was no immediate acknowledgement from authorities.
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4 ways the Israel-Iran conflict could hit Long Island wallets
Israel's attack on Tehran, Iran's capital city, Friday morning targeting the country's nuclear program has the potential to escalate and cause worldwide turmoil, including in the financial sector and on Long Island.
Iran is a major producer of oil and if a wider war erupts, it could slow the flow of Iran’s oil to its customers and keep the price of crude and gasoline higher for everyone worldwide, according to The Associated Press.
Ripple effects from the conflict could translate into higher costs at the pump for Long Islanders, "increased travel expenses and more cautious consumer behavior, especially among retirees and middle-class families already navigating inflation," said Jason Gilbert, founder and managing partner of RGA Investment Advisors in Great Neck.
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Nassau, Suffolk and New York City police increasing patrols in aftermath of Israel's attacks on Iran
New York City's and Long Island's police forces say they're intensifying patrols in the aftermath of Israel's attack on Iran, although there's no known local threat.
The announcements that policing is being stepped up in the New York region are a typical response when events elsewhere could reverberate in retaliatory attacks locally.
Last night Eastern time, Israel launched an attack on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, using drones and warplanes that had been smuggled into the country and killed top scientists and generals, according to The Associated Press.
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Israel stationing troops in 'all combat arenas'
The military said it was calling up reservists from different military units as “part of preparations for defense and offense” as its attack on Iran continues.
The move comes as Israel braces for further counterattacks from Iran or Iranian proxy groups on Israel’s borders.
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U.S. shifts military resources in Mideast in response to Iranian retaliation for Israel's attack
Two U.S. officials said Friday that the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House.
President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.
The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles.
On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
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Trump calls Israeli strikes on Iran 'excellent,' says 'more to come'
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk after greeting guests during the congressional picnic on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday. Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
President Donald Trump is again urging Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear program, warning that Israel’s attacks “will only get worse.”
In his first public comments since the Friday attacks, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that “there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end.”
After his social media posts, in an interview with ABC News, Trump called the Israeli strikes on Iran “excellent” and previewed more attacks.
“I think it’s been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn’t take it,” Trump told ABC on Friday morning. “They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you’re going to get hit. And there’s more to come, a lot more.”
Iran confirms head of Revolutionary Guard missile program killed
Iran has confirmed that Israel killed Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s missile program.
Iranian state television made the acknowledgment Friday afternoon. The confirmation came a short time after Israel said its strikes killed Hajizadeh.
Hajizadeh was a major commander within the Guard, overseeing its ballistic missile arsenal.
Israeli officials say they smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of strikes
Israeli security officials say the country’s Mossad spy agency smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of Friday’s strikes that were used to target its defenses from within.
Two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss the highly secretive missions. It was not possible to independently confirm their claims. There was no official comment.
The officials said a base for launching explosive drones was established inside Iran and that the drones were activated during Friday’s attack to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran.
They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran and positioned them near surface-to-air missile systems. They said it also deployed strike systems on vehicles. Both were activated as the strikes began, in order to target Iran’s defenses, the officials said.
Oil prices surge while global stocks retreat after Israel's strike on Iran
Currency traders watch monitors near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won in Seoul, South Korea, Friday. Credit: AP/Ahn Young-joon
Oil prices surged while global shares were lower Friday after Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military targets in an attack that raised the risk of all-out war between them.
U.S. benchmark crude oil rose by $4,14, or 6.1%, to $72.18 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, increased by $4.25 to $73.61 per barrel.
The future for the S&P 500 fell 1.1% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.2%.
In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 0.9% to 37,834.25 while the Kospi in Seoul edged 0.9% lower to 2,894.62. Hong Kong's Hang Seng retreated 0.6% to 23,892.56 and the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.8% to 3,377.00. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 drifted 0.2% lower to 8,547.40.
“An Israeli attack on Iran poses a top ten of our global risk, but Asian markets are expected to recover quickly as they have relatively limited exposure to the conflict and growing ties to unaffected Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” said Xu Tiachen of The Economist Intelligence.
Iran retaliates with drone strikes on Israel
Israel's military said it had begun intercepting Iranian drones launched in retaliation.
An Israeli official said the interceptions were taking place outside of Israeli territory, but did not elaborate. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.
Iraq said more than 100 Iranian drones had crossed its airspace, and a short time later neighboring Jordan said its air force and defense systems had intercepted several missiles and drones that had entered its airspace for fear they would fall in its territory.
Trump officials say no U.S. military support for Israeli strikes on Iran
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, insisted the Israeli attack of Iran was a "unilateral action." Credit: AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Israeli strikes “unilateral action” and said the United States was “not involved.” He said the Trump administration’s “top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”
Israel had “advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense,” Rubio said. “President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
Israeli officials said Netanyahu signed orders authorizing the attack on Monday. He spoke on the phone with Trump that same day.
Should Iran retaliate, it was not immediately clear whether the United States would assist Israel’s defense, including shooting down Iranian drones and missiles as it did twice last year. “That’s up to the president,” said a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation.
The attack came hours after Trump suggested Thursday afternoon that an Israeli strike was not imminent. He held out hope that Washington’s negotiations with Iran, while deadlocked, could offer a peaceful way out of the crisis. U.S. and Iranian diplomats had been scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks Sunday in Oman.
Israel attacks Iran's nuclear and missile sites
Smoke rises up after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Friday. Credit: AP/Vahid Salemi
Israel attacked Iran's capital early Friday in strikes that targeted the country's nuclear program and killed at least two top military officers, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.
The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and appeared certain to trigger a reprisal, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning that “severe punishment” would be directed at Israel.
Israel's attack on Iran hit several sites, including the country's main nuclear enrichment facility, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. Later in the morning, it said it had also destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.
The leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, Iranian state television reported, a development that is a significant blow to Tehran's governing theocracy and an immediate escalation of its long-simmering conflict with Israel.
The chief of staff of Iranian armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, was also confirmed dead by Iranian state television. Other top military officials and scientists were believed to have been killed.
Iran announces a new nuclear enrichment site after UN watchdog censure
VIENNA (AP) — Iran said it has built and will activate a third nuclear enrichment facility, ratcheting up tensions with the U.N. on Thursday immediately after its atomic watchdog agency censured Iran for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
Hours later, Israel said it had attacked Iranian nuclear targets. As explosions were heard across Tehran early Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue for as long as it would take “to remove this threat.”
The censure by the International Atomic Energy Agency, its first in 20 years over Iranian non-compliance, could set in motion an effort to restore sanctions on Iran later this year.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to respond to this political resolution,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry and Atomic Energy Organization said in a joint statement in response to the censure.
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