Rubio, US ready to discuss civil nuclear power with Iran. Tehran: our stockpiles of enriched uranium are intact

Nine members of the Iranian security forces were killed after Israeli forces struck two military sites in the central province of Yazd. This was reported by the Iranian news agency Fars, as picked up by Al Jazeera. According to the authorities, the victims included seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and two soldiers.

Despite the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites Tehran maintains its stockpile of enriched uranium, said one of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's advisers. "Even if the nuclear sites were destroyed, the game would not be over: enriched materials, knowledge and political will would remain intact," Ali Shamkhani wrote on his X profile, adding that "the political and operational initiative is now in the hands of the side that plays smart and avoids blind attacks."

"The insecurity in the region is a direct result of the conspiracies of the United States and the Zionist regime. Iran's action against the Zionist regime is a legitimate defence against the aggression of a usurping and illegal regime against our territory". This was said by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was reported by the Tasnim news agency. "We have never started a war and we desire peace and stability in the region, but the aggressive actions of the other side show that international norms offer no real guarantee to protect the rights of nations," he explained.

"Therefore, Iran will respond harshly, firmly and in a way that will make those who attacked it repent". "What the world is witnessing today is a worrying and unacceptable process, in which a country that operates in full compliance with international norms and obligations - particularly under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency - is being attacked directly and openly by the United States and the Zionist regime," he added. "This shows that all their declarations about peace, democracy, human rights and respect for international rules are nothing but slogans and propaganda tools to deceive public opinion."

"The reddest of red lines": this is how "a senior Iranian official" quoted by the Reuters news agency described the possible killing by Israel or the US of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Such a move would 'close the door to any negotiations and trigger an unrestricted and unrestrained response', the source warned. While other international media speak of difficulties for the Iranian leadership to maintain the chain of command due to the isolation of Khamenei, who has taken refuge in an underground shelter to escape the raids that have already led to the elimination of several commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and regular armed forces.

Two US officials quoted by the online daily Axios said that it was precisely the difficulties of President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in consulting with the Supreme Leader that caused a mediation attempt by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Edogan, who had been trying to organise a meeting in Istanbul in recent days between Iranians and Americans, approved by US President Donald Trump, to fail. Rumours have been swirling in the last few hours about the decisions Khamenei might take, not only about the clash with Israel and the United States, but also about the reorganisation of power in the most serious crisis the Islamic Republic has faced since the end of the war with Iraq in 1988.

"Even if the nuclear sites were destroyed, the game would not be over. The enriched materials, Iranian knowledge and political will will remain. The initiative now lies with those who play smart and avoid blind attacks. The surprises will continue!" So wrote Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on X after the US raids on Iranian nuclear sites.

The Red Crescent in Iran reports an injury toll of 11 following the US raids against three nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic. Seven people of the 11 who were slightly injured have been discharged. The BBC reports. The Tehran Ministry of Health had previously spoken of the injured, without specifying the number, but emphasising that none had signs of 'radioactive contamination'.

The National Committee for Public Order and Security, chaired by the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, with the participation of law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies and cybersecurity structures, concluded at the Viminale. The meeting was preceded in the morning by a meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Strategic Analysis Committee, a technical body attended by experts from the police forces and intelligence agencies. During the meeting, the outcomes of recent investigative activities were presented and new operational guidelines were defined to address the potential impacts on national security resulting from the crisis in the Middle East and the deterioration of the international geopolitical framework.

As a result of the national committee, at the instigation of Minister Piantedosi, the prevention and risk analysis activities for internal security have been strengthened, with a special focus on counter-terrorism measures. Maximum alertness on targets considered sensitive: there are currently over 29,000 sites under surveillance in Italy, including over 10,000 critical infrastructures. Among these, about a thousand concern US and Israeli interests.

The US would allow Iran to operate nuclear power plants, but not to enrich its own fuel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after a wave of US attacks aimed at dismantling Iran's nuclear programme. "The Iranian regime should wake up and say 'OK, if we really want nuclear power in our country, there is a way to do it'. That offer still stands, we are ready to talk to them tomorrow,' he explained to Fox News.

(ANSA-AFP) - TEHERAN, JUNE 22 - US attacks against nuclear facilities in Iran caused several injuries, but none showed signs of "radioactive contamination". This was stated by the Iranian Health Ministry. "None of the injured transferred to medical centres after the US attacks showed signs of radioactive contamination," ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour wrote on X, without specifying the number of people hospitalised. (ANSA-AFP).

"Nobody knows what will happen next, but what is certain is that the responsibility for the consequences of this war will have to fall on the United States and Israel." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told CNN. "They cannot talk about diplomacy, they have betrayed diplomacy," Baghaei added about the Trump administration, pointing out, however, that "diplomacy never ends." Tehran 'has the right to exercise its right to self-defence', he said again, 'and we will certainly do so'.

"There is great unity in the Republican Party, perhaps as never before. Now we pass the great and beautiful law. Our country is going Great. Maga!" Donald Trump writes this on Truth in the aftermath of the attacks on Iran that divided the Grand old party.

"May the president of the United States be elevated for taking responsibility for expelling evil and darkness from the world". This, according to the Israeli news site Ynet, is the text for the prayer defined for Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the Wailing Wall, where the Israeli premier prayed for the "success of the war against Iran and for Trump" after the US raids against three nuclear sites in Iran. Israel launched military operations against 'military targets' in Iran on 13 June.

The US does not rule out the possibility of a military reaction in the event of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said when interviewed by CBS. "I would not rule out any action by (US President Donald Trump). We're not willing to discuss it as an inevitable scenario, but if Iran decided to close the strait, the first ones to be outraged would be the Chinese, who depend on the oil that flows through it,' he concluded. Rubio had previously described the closure scenario as 'economic suicide' on Tehran's part and a possible cause of 'massive escalation'.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended a protest rally in Tehran after the US raids against nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The images were broadcast by Iranian state TV. 'Revenge', chanted the protesters gathered at Enghelab Square in the heart of the Iranian capital.

Iraniani sollevano bandiere e cartelli durante una manifestazione di protesta contro l’attacco statunitense all’Iran in piazza Enghelab a Teheran il 22 giugno 2025. Il presidente iraniano Masoud Pezeshkian ha condannato gli attacchi statunitensi ai siti nucleari il 22 giugno, affermando nella sua prima risposta che l’attacco ha rivelato che Washington era “dietro” la campagna militare di Israele nella Repubblica islamica. (Foto di ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Americans who cannot leave Iran 'should be prepared to take refuge there for extended periods'. This was announced by the US State Department, reiterating that the US "does not plan to offer direct assistance for departure" from the country. In updated guidelines on Sunday, following the bombing of the three Iranian nuclear sites, the department states that "US citizens wishing to leave Iran should avail themselves of existing means to do so".

"Iran will not challenge Donald Trump". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News, pointing out that the US is ready to talk to Tehran and that 'the offer still stands'.

In questa immagine fornita dalla Casa Bianca, il Segretario alla Difesa Pete Hegseth, in primo piano, e il Segretario di Stato Marco Rubio siedono nella Situation Room, sabato 21 giugno 2025, alla Casa Bianca a Washington. (La Casa Bianca via AP)

"Following the government meeting urgently convened this morning in light of the worsening of the crisis in the Middle East, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, held numerous contacts throughout the day with a number of international partners and the main players in the region". A note from Palazzo Chigi reads. "In particular, President Meloni exchanged views with the G7 President-in-Office, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In the regional sphere, the Prime Minister held talks with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani". "With all the interlocutors, the need to work for a rapid resumption of negotiations between the parties was shared and given utmost importance, in order to avoid a further widening of the conflict and to reach a political solution to the crisis."

The Israeli Air Force today carried out a series of strikes with 30 fighter jets in four areas of Iran, hitting missile and drone sites. This was announced by the IDF. Dozens of targets, it explained, were hit simultaneously in Isfahan, Bushehr, Ahvaz and, for the first time, also in Yazd. The Idf claimed that around 60 missiles were dropped by fighter jets during the attacks. "In the course of this wave of attacks, the fighters targeted for the first time the strategic missile headquarters in the Yazd area, where long-range Khorramshahr missiles were stored," it said, adding that some 60 missiles had been fired at Israel from this facility. At the same time, in Isfahan, Bushehr and Ahvaz, the army hit missile launchers, air defence battery production sites, an Iranian drone regiment headquarters and a drone storage facility. The IDF added that, during the raids, an air force drone identified Iranian soldiers 'while arming missile launchers, eliminating them shortly afterwards'.

It is General Dan Caine, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who outlines Operation Midnight Hammer with which the US struck the nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. At the Pentagon, with Secretary Pete Hegseth, Caine outlined the key steps of the operation that involved seven B-2 bombers - with 14 GBU bombs dropped - and submarines firing Tomahawk missiles. It was the largest attack ever conducted with the B-2s, which made their longest flight since 2001, and for which a record number of 'bunker busters' were used. The operation began in the night between Friday and Saturday.

Il capo dello Stato Maggiore Usa Dan Caine parla durante una conferenza stampa al Pentagono di Washington, domenica 22 giugno 2025, dopo che l’esercito americano ha colpito tre siti in Iran, unendosi direttamente agli sforzi di Israele per distruggere il programma nucleare del Paese. (Foto AP/Alex Brandon)

This morning, 30 Iaf fighter jets attacked dozens of military targets throughout Iran, dropping more than 60 bombs, under the guidance of intelligence, reports the IDF spokesman's office, specifying that first hit was the 'Imam Hussein' strategic missile command centre in the Yazd region, where long-range Khoramshahr missiles were stored. From this command centre, some 60 missiles were launched towards Israel. At the same time, missile launchers, military sites for the production of air defence batteries and a command centre and drone depot were attacked in Isfahan, Bushehr and Ahvaz. During the attacks, the IAF identified Iranian soldiers near 50 launch pads and eliminated them.

The UN Security Council will meet today at Tehran's request after the US hit key Iranian nuclear sites with huge anti-bunker bombs. The news comes from diplomatic sources.

The Israeli Defence Establishment is satisfied with the outcome of the US attack on Iran and estimates that the Natanz plant has been completely destroyed. This was reported by Channel 12 news. Israel is still waiting for further details instead for the nuclear sites in Fordow and Isfahan. According to military intelligence, enriched uranium was stored in Natanz and Isfahan and the vast majority was not taken out of the sites, so it was there at the time of the attack. The current lack of accurate information on the actual outcome of the US attack on theFordow and Isfahan facilities stems from the fact that both sites are deep underground and not from the fear that something went wrong during the attack. The final assessment will tell whether the nuclear programme has regressed or been completely annihilated.

Closing the Strait of Hormuz would be a 'suicidal' move for Iran. This was stated by US Vice President Jd Vance at the microphones of Nbc News, in the aftermath of the US raids against Tehran's nuclear sites. 'Their entire economy goes through the Strait of Hormuz. If they want to destroy their economy and cause unrest in the world, I think that's their decision - but why would they do that? I don't think it makes any sense," Vance said.

The US Vice President went on to emphasise that the US attack had "considerably slowed down the programme" of Iran's nuclear programme. "I'm not going to go into classified information about what we saw on the ground in Iran, but we saw a lot and I'm very confident that we have substantially slowed down the development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of the attack," Vance said.

The Iranian parliament approved the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategic sea passages for oil transportation, in response to US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. State-run Press TV reported this today. According to state-run Press TV, General Kowsari, a member of Parliament's National Security Committee, pointed out that the final decision would be up to the Supreme National Security Council, Iran's highest security body. The Strait of Hormuz is crossed by about a fifth of the oil transported by sea globally, and its eventual closure would have serious international economic and geopolitical repercussions.

"The nuclear industry is deeply rooted in our country and its roots cannot be destroyed." Iran's state atomic energy agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told state TV, adding that its development will not stop. "There is damage inflicted on the sites, but this is not the first time our nuclear industry has been damaged and we will hide it again," he added.

"Operation Midnight Hammer", this is the name of the US operation that struck Iranian nuclear sites, "is not an unlimited mission, Trump assigned a clear and focused mission to strike Iran's nuclear capabilities". This was said by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth at a press conference, adding that "anything can happen in a conflict but the purpose was intentionally limited". America "does not seek war," he clarified.

"We have been working closely and consulting continuously with allies in the region," he continued. The Trump Administration "complied with the notification requirements of the War Powers Act" and informed members of Congress of the attacks immediately "after the planes had safely taken off," the defence secretary then said.

The US military operation against Iran, codenamed 'Midnight Hammer', involved over 125 aircraft and a deception operation that saw bombers deployed over the Pacific as 'decoys'. Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, told reporters today. "Between midnight Friday and Saturday morning, a large group of B-2 bombers took off from the continental United States," Caine said. "As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the group moved west and into the Pacific as a ploy - an attempted deception known only to an extremely limited number of key planners and leaders here in Washington and Tampa," he explained.

The unprecedented operation involved seven B2 stealth bombers. The bombers dropped more than a dozen 13-ton Massive Ordnance Penetrator (Mop) bombs on two Iranian nuclear facilities, Fordow and Natanz, Caine said. Tomahawk missiles were dropped on Isfahan. "As the president declared it last night, 14 GBU-57 Mops of 13 tonnes were deployed for the first time". In total, more than 125 aircraft were involved, including B2s, refuelling tanks, reconnaissance planes and fighters. The bombers struck Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan starting at 6.40pm US time and exited Iranian airspace at 7pm, Caine added.

US Vice President JD Vance ruled out any intention to send ground troops into Iran, reiterating the White House position. "We have no interest in putting 'boots on the ground'," Vance told Nbc News microphones, clarifying that the administration's goal is not military occupation. Vance explained that the intervention was motivated by the findings of US intelligence: "Our intelligence assessments prompted us to take action against Iran. However, the US vice-president maintained an open stance to dialogue: 'We want to talk to Iran about a long-term solution'. Looking to the future, he said: 'We will now work to permanently dismantle Iran's nuclear programme over the next few years', while ruling out a lasting escalation: 'I do not fear this turning into a protracted conflict'.

Il vicepresidente JD Vance visita le truppe al Wilshire Federal Building venerdì 20 giugno 2025, a Los Angeles. (Foto AP/Jae C. Hong)

America is armouring itself after the US attack on Iran. Federal authorities and leaders in several major states and cities, from New York to Los Angeles and the capital, are tightening security measures and monitoring potential threats after the US raids. "Our resources are fully engaged. We remain vigilant. God bless America and all who defend it," FBI Deputy Chief Dan Bongino wrote on X. 'We will work tirelessly to protect the American homeland,' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X. Local leaders and law enforcement are also on high alert.

Israel still has "a variety of targets" in Iran, an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman said, noting that the army is continuing its military offensive in the country after the US launched attacks against Iranian nuclear sites overnight. "We have plans and objectives and are constantly working to achieve them. We are also preparing for the extension of the campaign," IDF spokeswoman Effie Defrin told a press conference. Israel still has "a variety of objectives" in Iran, she added, without specifying what they are. "Our coordination with the US partner has been close over the years and has been further strengthened recently," Defrin said. "At the same time, the IDF continues to strike in Iran," he concluded.

"We have been working closely and we consult continuously with allies in the region." This was said by the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, regarding the attack against Iran."They also have forces and assets where there are American troops", he added.

The IDF hit a large missile base in south-eastern Iran, which houses the Iranian regime's most lethal missiles of the Khorramshahr type. Channel 12 reports this.

British PM Keir Starmer will chair a meeting of the 'Cobra', the inter-ministerial body that meets for emergencies, this afternoon. This was reported by the BBC after the latest developments in Iran.

Read also: Bourses and the US attack on Iran, experts: oil rise expected

Maximum alert level for British military personnel in the Middle East. This was confirmed after the latest developments in Iran by a British defence source to the BBC, saying that the UK was briefed by the US shortly before the raids.

Read also: Great Britain rediscovered protagonist of global challenges

The Iranian media reported a 'massive' explosion in the province of Bushehr, the same province where a nuclear power plant is located, in the south-west of the country. In Yazd, central Iran, Israeli fighter jets reportedly targeted a Pasdaran base.

Leggi anche: US attack on Iran, here is how the international press reacted

'Our operations continue and Israel will not rest': this is the threat of the new head of the Iranian Pasdaran, Mohammad Pakpour, quoted by the pan-Arab media.

Read also: Salami, Pasdaran hawk master in psychological warfare killed in Israel's attack on Iran

A senior Iranian source reported that most of the highly enriched uranium stored at the nuclear plant in Fordow was transferred to an undisclosed location before the US attacks. This was reported by several international media, citing Reuters. The source added that the personnel at the site had also been reduced to a minimum in anticipation of a potential attack.

The Israeli army (IDF) announced that it was 'verifying' the results of the night attacks. Asked if the enriched uranium had been removed from the site before the US airstrike, Israeli military spokesman General Effie Defrin said: "We are constantly verifying the situation. It is too early to say".

The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel reported that some 9,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the start of the Israeli operation against Iran on 13 June, the Times of Israel reported. Thousands have been housed in hotels, while others have moved in with friends and family.

"Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm". Pope Prevost admonished this at the Angelus. "There are no distant conflicts when human dignity is at stake. War," he emphasised, "does not solve problems, rather it amplifies them and produces deep wounds in the history of peoples that take generations to heal. Nno armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, the stolen future. Let diplomacy silence arms. Let nations map out their future with works of peace. Not with violence and bloody conflicts'.

Washington allegedly warned Tehran in advance of the attacks. This was reported by Amwaj.media, the website of a think tank headed by an Iranian analyst in the UK. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a high-ranking Iranian political source, writes Amwaj, confirmed that the Trump administration announced on 21 June that it did not want to reach an all-out confrontation and only intended to strike the nuclear sites of Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz.

Read also: Iran, Meloni summons concerned ministers and intelligence. Long phone call with Schlein

Iran is ready to unleash asymmetrical reprisals 'without limits or restrictions' of any kind should the US target the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Guide of the Islamic Republic. The warning, following US attacks in recent hours on three Iranian nuclear facilities, comes from "a senior official" in Tehran quoted anonymously by the Reuters website. This is "the reddest of red lines", the source warned, adding that "any move against the supreme leader would close the door to any negotiations and trigger a response without limits and without restrictions".

Read also: Ayatollah Khamenei appoints three potential successors

"Last week we were negotiating with the US and Israel decided to sabotage diplomacy. These days we were holding talks with the E3 group and the EU and the US decided to sabotage diplomacy. Now the British and the EU High Representative are calling on Iran to return to the negotiating table:but how can Iran return to a table it never left, beyond the fact that others blew it up?" Thus Tehran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, responding polemically on his X profile to the urgings of Keir Starmer andKaja Kallas.

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (Aeol), Mohammad Eslami, has sent a letter to the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEAA), Rafael Grossi, accusing him of complicity in the US attacks on the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan nuclear sites. "Iran has taken the necessary steps to defend its sovereignty rights and will take the appropriate legal measures, particularly against involvement and complicity on its part in such a brazen crime, through international bodies," the letter reads.

Read also: Where does Iran's nuclear programme stand? The map

There was no UK involvement in the US attacks against Iranian nuclear facilities, but the British government was informed in advance. This was reported in the British media. The British Minister for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, told Sky News that 'although the British government, the UK, has not been involved in these attacks, we have prepared thoroughly for every eventuality, including how we look after British citizens in the region and how we get them out, and the resources we have in the region to protect British infrastructure, British bases and British personnel if necessary'. Iran must "come back to the table" and negotiate with the United States, he continued, "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, but we need a diplomatic process to change the situation".

Read also: The irrelevant summit of the former Big Seven

The US president himself warned Iran that any retaliation against the US will be met with further attacks. "There will be peace or it will be a tragedy for Iran. A tragedy far greater than what we have witnessed over the last eight days," Trump said during a three-minute speech from the White House. "If peace does not come soon, we will strike other targets with precision, speed and competence." According to Cbs News, Washington has reportedly activated its diplomatic channels with Tehran to explain that toppling the regime is not among its goals. A channel affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced that "the United States will have to bear the consequences of the attack on Iran. Their bases in the Middle East will be reduced to ashes'.

"The campaign is not over: the coming days could be delicate, complex and challenging". This was emphasised by Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, calling Donald Trump's attack on Iran "historic". The BBC reports. The US president's words demonstrate the "deep and courageous alliance" between the US and Israel, Herzog added, later urging Israelis to continue to follow the life-saving instructions of officials.

"In light of the urgent situation in Iran, I am convening an emergency meeting of the IEA Board of Governors for tomorrow," writes the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA), Rafael Grossi, on X.

Saudi Arabia condemned the US attacks against Iranian nuclear sites and stressed the urgent need to reduce tensions in the region. This was stated by the Saudi Foreign Ministry today. "We condemn the US raids against Iran. It is crucial to avoid further escalation," read the ministry's official note relayed by regional media. Saudi Arabia also appealed to the international community, calling on world powers to "work actively for a peaceful solution to the crisis" in order to safeguard the stability and security of the Middle East.

Read also: Trump's show diplomacy only makes the audience

The US attack on Iran is likely to put the more than 40,000 US troops in the area in Tehran's crosshairs. According to experts, in fact, Tehran will respond to the offensive on three of its nuclear sites and the US troops are the most exposed. The Strait of Hormuz, through which one third of the world's oil transits and which Iran has already threatened to close, is also at great risk. One of the eventualities is that the Psadarans could undermine it, forcing the US Navy into a long and dangerous operation to remove the ordnance. The United States has eight permanent bases in the Middle East in seven countries: Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In the latter country there is the largest, Al Udeidche, which houses more than 10,000 soldiers and is the headquarters of the US Central Command. The base has played a strategic role in operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. In Bahrain there is the Naval Support Activity, while Kuwait hosts Camp Arifjian, essential for logistical support. Al-Dhafra, in the United Arab Emirates, is strategic for intelligence gathering and support for air combat operations. The base hosts Raptor-22s and many drones. Finally, the base in Erbil, Iraq, is used for operations in northern Iraq and Syria.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that they had entered a state of high alert over the possibility of Hezbollah joining the conflict between Israel and Iran, following the US raids against nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

According to Israeli military sources quoted by Haaretz, Hezbollah has been on high alert since the beginning of the Israeli offensive against Iran, but so far there have been no direct attacks by the Lebanese organisation.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said today that the US has started a dangerous war against Iran by attacking the country's nuclear facilities. "Iran reserves the right to defend itself against US aggression with all its might," it added.

A channel affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced that 'the United States will have to bear the consequences of the attack on Iran. Their bases in the Middle East will be reduced to ashes'.

In relation to the bombardment launched towards Israel this morning, the Guards stated that they 'used long-range solid and liquid-fueled missiles with destructive warheads and the use of new tactics to bypass enemy defences. The attacks were directed at the airport, a biological research centre of the Zionist entity, and support bases and command centres'.

Iran claimed to have attacked Israel's Ben Gurion airport, the country's biological research centre, logistics bases, and several command and control centres, in its 20th airstrike on Israel since the Israeli attack on the country on 13 June, the Tasnim news agency reported.

The Israeli army reports that Air Force (IAF) fighters are currently carrying out a new series of bombing raids in western Iran.

"Following the attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran - including the one at Fordow - IAEA is able to confirm that no increases in radiation levels outside the sites have been reported at this time. Aiea will provide further assessments of the situation in Iran as soon as new information becomes available'. The International Atomic Energy Agency writes this on X.

According to some sources, 30 missiles were launched' from Iran towards Israel. This was announced by Iranian state TV, confirming the raid on the territory of the Jewish state.

Loud explosions are heard in the centre of Tel Aviv, as ANSA is reporting on the spot. Earlier, the IDF had issued an alert for missile launches from Iran.

Yemen's Houthi rebels will launch attacks against US forces in the Red Sea in response to attacks on Iran's nuclear sites, the pro-Iranian group's Supreme Political Council said. Tass reports.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US bombing of nuclear sites, calling it 'outrageous' and said his country has the right to defend its sovereignty. 'What happened this morning is outrageous and will have eternal consequences,' he wrote on X adding that the attacks were 'illegal and criminal'. "In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing for a legitimate self-defence response," the minister added, "Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, its interests and its people.

he citizens of Israel, brothers and sisters. In Operation Rising Lion, together we achieved something unprecedented in Israel's history. Previously, in full coordination between President Trump and myself, and with full operational coordination between the Israeli Defence Forces and the US military, the US attacked the three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. This programme threatened our survival and was also a risk to the peace of the entire world'. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said this in a video in Hebrew addressed to the nation.

"Immediately after the completion of the action, President Trump phoned me. It was a very warm, very moving conversation. He congratulated me, praised our soldiers and praised our people. I thanked him too, the US pilots and the American people'. Netanyahu added: "Trump is courageously leading the free world. He is a great friend of Israel, a friend without equal. To him, on behalf of myself and on behalf of all citizens of Israel, on behalf of all the Jewish people, I extend heartfelt thanks. And I know, citizens of Israel, that I speak from the bottom of the heart of each of you. We stand together, we fight together, and with God's help, we win together. And as it says in the week's parashat: 'Let us rise and rise so that we may prevail over them'," he concluded.

After New York, Washington also strengthens security in the wake of the US attack on Iran. The police department of the American capital announced the deployment of new officers at religious institutions and other strategic sites.

"Barbaric attacks in violation of international law" is how Tehran's Atomic Agency brands the US attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites in a statement. Iran's atomic agency also states that the US attacks on three of the country's nuclear sites will not stop Tehran's nuclear activities.

"At this point there will either be peace or there will be a tragedy like never before." Donald Trump said this at the White House after the attack on Iran, warning that 'if peace does not come quickly, we will attack the other targets with precision, speed and skill'. "Iran's key nuclear facilities have been completely destroyed," the US president reportedly said that "our goal was to nullify Tehran's enrichment capabilities and its nuclear threat", speaking of a "spectacular military success". With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'we worked as a team', Trump stressed.

"President Trump and I often say, 'peace through strength'. First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight President Trump and the United States acted very strongly." This was said by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu

In a video just released in English, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu thanked US President Donald Trump for the attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. "Trump's decision is courageous and will change history," the prime minister said.

Iranian state TV stated that 'any American citizen, or military, in the region is now a legitimate target'.

The US dropped six bunker buster bombs, Gbu-57 Mop bombs on Fordow. Fox reports this, citing sources.

The spokesman of the crisis management headquarters in Iran's Qom province confirmed the attack on the Fordow nuclear facility: 'A few hours ago, after the activation of the Qom air defence system and the detection of hostile targets, part of the area of the Fordow nuclear site was attacked by the enemy'.

The US has diplomatically contacted Iran to say that the attacks are all the US has planned and that no efforts to change the regime are planned. Cbs reports this, citing sources.

'Now the war has begun', is the post published on the X account associated with Iran's Revolutionary Guardians, following the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites.

A US source reported that US B-2 bombers were involved in attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. This was reported by Channel 12 citing Reuters. Six US B-2 stealth bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on Saturday bound for the US air base on the island of Guam. The aircraft are capable of carrying a MOP (Motorized Bunker Penetrating Bomb). This is a weapon that only the US military possesses.