Smoke billows after an Iranian missile struck an oil refinery in Haifa, northern Israel, early Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photograph)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Worldwide Atomic Power Company stated Tuesday it believes Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s Natanz enrichment web site have had “direct impacts” on the power’s underground centrifuge halls.
The strikes are a part of an air marketing campaign Israel launched towards its longtime foe 5 days in the past, concentrating on Iran’s army and nuclear program.
This marks the primary time the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has assessed harm from the strikes within the underground elements of Natanz, which is the principle enrichment facility of Iran’s nuclear program.
“Based mostly on continued evaluation of high-resolution satellite tv for pc imagery collected after Friday’s assaults, the IAEA has recognized further parts that point out direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz,” the company stated.
Already, an above-ground enrichment corridor had been destroyed, in addition to electrical tools that powered the power.
Israel continued to pound Iran Tuesday, whereas U.S. President Donald Trump posted an ominous message warning Tehran residents to evacuate.
“IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump wrote Monday night time earlier than returning to Washington early from a Group of Seven summit in Canada. “Everybody ought to instantly evacuate Tehran!” he added.
Trump later denied he had rushed again to work on a ceasefire, telling reporters on Air Drive One: “I’m not a ceasefire. We’re higher than a ceasefire.”
Requested why he had urged for the evacuation of Tehran, he stated: “I simply need individuals to be protected.”
Earlier, the Israeli army had known as for some 330,000 residents of a neighborhood in downtown Tehran to evacuate. Tehran is likely one of the largest cities within the Center East, with round 10 million individuals, roughly equal to your complete inhabitants of Israel. Individuals have been fleeing since hostilities started.
Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s high army leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment websites and ballistic missile program is critical to forestall its adversary from getting any nearer to constructing an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed no less than 224 individuals in Iran.
Iran has retaliated by launching greater than 370 missiles and a whole bunch of drones at Israel. Thus far, 24 individuals have been killed in Israel. The Israeli army stated a brand new barrage of missiles was launched on Tuesday, and explosions could possibly be heard in northern Israel.
Outlets closed, strains for gasoline in Iran’s capital
Downtown Tehran gave the impression to be emptying out early Tuesday, with many outlets closed. The traditional Grand Bazaar was additionally closed, one thing that solely occurred up to now throughout anti-government demonstrations or on the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the roads out of Tehran to the west, site visitors stood bumper to bumper. Many gave the impression to be heading to the Caspian Sea space. Lengthy strains additionally could possibly be seen at gasoline stations in Tehran, with printed placards and boards calling for a “extreme” response to Israel seen throughout the town.
Authorities cancelled go away for docs and nurses because the assaults proceed, however insisted all the things was underneath management and didn’t supply any steering for the general public on what to do.
The Israeli army in the meantime claimed to have killed somebody it described as Iran’s high normal in a strike on Tehran. Iran didn’t instantly touch upon the reported killing of Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had simply been named as the pinnacle of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, a part of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Iran has named different generals to exchange the highest leaders of the Guard and the common armed forces after they have been killed in earlier strikes.
Trump leaves G7 early to give attention to battle
Earlier than leaving the summit in Canada, Trump joined the opposite leaders in a joint assertion saying Iran “can by no means have a nuclear weapon” and calling for a “de-escalation of hostilities within the Center East, together with a ceasefire in Gaza.”
French President Emmanuel Macron informed reporters that discussions have been underway on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, however Trump appeared to shoot that down in his feedback on social media.
Macron “mistakenly stated that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to return to D.C. to work on a ‘stop hearth’ between Israel and Iran,” Trump wrote. “Incorrect! He has no concept why I’m now on my strategy to Washington, but it surely definitely has nothing to do with a Stop Fireplace. A lot larger than that.”
In the meantime, U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth headed to the White Home State of affairs Room to satisfy with the president and his nationwide safety group.
Hegseth didn’t present particulars on what prompted the assembly however stated on Fox Information late Monday that the actions have been to “be sure that our persons are protected.”
Trump stated he wasn’t prepared to surrender on diplomatic talks, and will ship Vice President JD Vance and particular envoy Steve Witkoff to satisfy with the Iranians.
“I could,” he stated. “It depends upon what occurs once I get again.”
Israel says it has ‘aerial superiority’ over Tehran
Israeli army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated Monday his nation’s forces had “achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies.”
The army stated it destroyed greater than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a 3rd of Iran’s whole, together with a number of launchers simply earlier than they launched ballistic missiles in direction of Israel. It additionally destroyed two F-14 fighter planes that Iran used to focus on Israeli plane, the army stated.
Israeli army officers additionally stated fighter jets had struck 10 command facilities in Tehran belonging to Iran’s Quds Drive, an elite arm of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that conducts army and intelligence operations exterior Iran.
Israel’s army issued an evacuation warning for part of central Tehran that homes state TV and police headquarters, in addition to three giant hospitals, together with one owned by the Guard. It has issued comparable evacuation warnings for elements of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon forward of strikes.
On Monday, an Israeli strike hit the headquarters of Iran’s state-run TV station, sending a tv anchor fleeing her studio throughout a stay broadcast. The Israeli army stated Tuesday it had hit the station as a result of “the printed channel was used to unfold anti-Israel propaganda.”
Israel says strikes have set again nuclear program
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the Israeli strikes have set Iran’s nuclear program again a “very, very very long time,” and informed reporters he’s in day by day contact with Trump.
Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceable, and the U.S. and others have assessed Tehran has not had an organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. The top of the Worldwide Atomic Power Company has repeatedly warned that the nation has sufficient enriched uranium to make a number of nuclear bombs ought to it select to take action.
Thus far, Israel has focused a number of Iranian nuclear program websites however has not been capable of destroy Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility.
The location is buried deep underground — and to eradicate it, Israel may have the 30,000-pound (14,000-kilogram) GBU-57 Huge Ordnance Penetrator, a U.S. bunker-busting bomb that makes use of its weight and sheer kinetic power to achieve deeply buried targets. Israel doesn’t have the munition or the bomber wanted to ship it. The penetrator is at present delivered by the B-2 stealth bomber.
No signal of battle letting up
Iran’s overseas minister, Abbas Araghchi, appeared to make a veiled plea Monday for the U.S. to step in and negotiate an finish to hostilities.
In a submit on X, Araghchi wrote that if Trump is “real about diplomacy and serious about stopping this battle, subsequent steps are consequential.”
“It takes one cellphone name from Washington to muzzle somebody like Netanyahu,” Iran’s high diplomat wrote. “Which will pave the best way for a return to diplomacy.”
The message to Washington was despatched as the newest talks between the U.S. and Iran have been canceled over the weekend after Israel’s shock bombardment.
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On Sunday, Araghchi stated Iran will cease its strikes if Israel does the identical.
