AFP Asia Business

Iranian missile fire on Israel killed at least 10 people overnight, authorities said Sunday, as the foes exchanged new waves of attacks in their most intense confrontation in history.In Iran, a heavy cloud of smoke billowed over the capital after Israeli aircraft struck two fuel depots. For days, Iranians have formed long queues at gas stations fearing shortages.US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Washington “had nothing to do” with ally Israel’s intense bombardment campaign that was launched early Friday, targeting key military and nuclear sites in Iran.But Trump threatened to launch “the full strength and might” if Iran attacks US interests, saying on his Truth Social platform that “we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!”Israeli police said six people were killed and at least 180 injured at the site of an overnight missile strike in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.First responders wearing helmets and headlamps combed through the bombed-out building as dawn broke, with police saying at least seven people were missing, feared buried under the rubble.”There was an explosion and I thought the whole house had collapsed,” said Bat Yam resident Shahar Ben Zion.”It was a miracle we survived.”In the north of Israel, rescuers and medics said a strike late Saturday destroyed a three-storey building in the town of Tamra, killing four women and taking the overall death toll in the country since Friday to 13.Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and 320 wounded in Friday’s first wave of Israeli strikes. Iranian authorities have not provided an updated toll as of early Sunday, but Tehran says Israel has killed top army commanders and nuclear scientists.- ‘Red line’ – After decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time the arch-enemies have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East.In Iran’s capital early Sunday, AFP journalists heard a series of blasts.Israel said its forces had struck the defence ministry headquarters in Tehran, where Iranian news agency Tasnim reported damage. The ministry did not comment.The Israeli military also said it had struck nuclear sites including the secretive Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), fuel tankers and other targets.The Iranian oil ministry said Israel struck two fuel depots in the Tehran area.An AFP journalist saw a depot at Shahran, northwest of the capital, on fire.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit “every target of the ayatollah regime”, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned further strikes would draw “a more severe and powerful response”.Israeli strikes have hit Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant and killed its highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, as well as the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.On Sunday, the Israeli military warned Iranians to evacuate areas near weapons facilities nationwide.”The Zionist regime crossed a new red line in international law” by “attacking nuclear facilities”, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign diplomats, according to state TV.He also said Tehran had “solid proof” US forces supported the Israeli attacks.”We are defending ourselves; our defence is entirely legitimate… If the aggression stops, naturally our responses will also stop.”- UK ‘support’ – The attacks persisted despite global calls for de-escalation, with Iran scrapping its latest nuclear talks with the United States, saying it could not negotiate while under fire from Israel.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday they had struck sites used by Israeli warplanes for refuelling, in retaliation for the earlier Israeli strikes.The Guards in a statement vowed to respond “more fiercely and more broadly” if Israel keeps up its deadly campaign.Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels said they had launched several missiles at Israel in attacks that were “coordinated with the operations carried out by the Iranian military”.The Israeli military said it had intercepted seven drones launched at the country within an hour on Sunday.Highlighting the global unease, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against a “devastating war” with regional consequences, in a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara said.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that his country was deploying fighter jets and other “assets” to the Middle East “for contingency support”, while he also urged de-escalation.burs-ami/ser

Iranians and Israelis woke to smoke and rubble on Sunday after the arch-rivals expanded their attacks overnight, with Israel striking Tehran’s defence ministry, and Iran unleashing a deadly barrage of missiles.Air raid sirens and explosions were heard by AFP journalists in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv early Sunday, as Israel’s military said millions of Israelis were “running for shelter” around the country.Israel’s emergency services said at least eight people, including children, were killed in the overnight strikes, and around 200 were wounded.In Iran’s capital, AFP journalists heard a series of blasts at around 2:30 am.The third day of tit-for-tat attacks comes despite global calls for de-escalation, with Iran scrapping its latest nuclear talks with the United States, saying it could not negotiate while under fire from Israel.After decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time the arch-enemies have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the Middle East.Israel’s operation, which began early Friday, has targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, killing dozens of people including top army commanders and atomic scientists, according to Tehran.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit “every target of the ayatollah regime”, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned further strikes would draw “a more severe and powerful response”.In Bat Yam, outside of Tel Aviv, Israeli first responders wearing helmets and headlamps combed through the rubble of a building as dawn broke.Two women, aged 69 and 80, a girl and a 10-year-old boy were killed, while about 100 others were wounded, according to a spokesperson for Magen David Adom (MDA).In Shfela region, west of Jerusalem, another 37 people were wounded, the MDA spokesperson added.In the north of Israel, in the Western Galilee, rescuers said a strike late Saturday destroyed a three-storey building, killing three women.A woman in her 20s also died after an Iranian missile hit a home in the Haifa region, leaving about a dozen people wounded, MDA said.An MDA spokesman told Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 that around 200 people were wounded in the overnight missile strikes fired by Iran.Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and 320 wounded in Friday’s first wave of Israeli strikes. Iranian authorities have not provided an updated toll as of early Sunday.- ‘Nuclear project’ sites struck -Israel’s military said it had struck Iran’s defence ministry headquarters, “nuclear weapons project” infrastructure sites and other targets, including fuel tankers, just before 2:40 am on Sunday (2340 GMT Saturday).The targeted sites, including the “headquarters of the SPND (Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research) nuclear project”, advanced Iran’s efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon, according to Israel.Iranian news agency Tasnim earlier reported that an Israeli strike had targeted the defence ministry headquarters in Tehran and damaged one of its buildings. The ministry did not comment.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday that the country had struck sites used by Israeli warplanes for refuelling, in retaliation for the strikes carried out by Israel.”The Iranian armed forces’ offensive operations will continue more fiercely and more broadly if the depravity and attacks (against Iran) continue,” the Guards said in a statement.Overnight, Israel stuck two fuel depots in Tehran, the Iranian oil ministry said Sunday.According to the ministry, the oil depots at Shahran northwest of Tehran and another reservoir south of the city were hit. An AFP journalist saw a depot at Shahran on fire.- Foreign concern -Netanyahu maintained Israel’s operation had the “clear support” of US President Donald Trump.Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in a phone call on Saturday that the conflict between Iran and Israel “should end”.According to a statement from his office, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Washington’s “dishonesty” for supporting Israel while engaged in nuclear talks with Iran — which mediator Oman said would no longer take place on Sunday.Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it denies.Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the Israeli attacks undermined negotiations and were pushing the region into a “dangerous cycle of violence”.Israeli strikes have hit Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant and killed its highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, as well as the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.The Israeli military said its strikes had killed more than 20 Iranian commanders.Iranian media reported five Guards killed Saturday in Israeli strikes, while authorities in one northwestern province said 30 military personnel had been killed there since Friday.Iran’s Red Crescent said an ambulance was hit Saturday in Urmia city, killing two.Iran called on its citizens to unite in the country’s defence, while Netanyahu urged them to rise up against the government.Highlighting the global unease, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against a “devastating war” with regional consequences, in a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara said.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that his country was deploying fighter jets and other “assets” to the Middle East “for contingency support”, while he also urged de-escalation.burs/ser/sco/lb

Iran launched a new wave of missiles at Israel on Saturday, wounding several people in residential buildings, while Israel said it was striking Tehran.The fresh attacks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to hit “every target of the ayatollah regime”, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned further strikes would draw “a more severe and powerful response”.As calls for de-escalation grew, a new round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran scheduled for Sunday was cancelled, with Iran saying it could not negotiate while under attack from Israel.Israel’s operation, which began early Friday, has targeted Iran’s air defences and hit key nuclear and military sites, killing dozens of people including top army commanders and atomic scientists, according to Tehran.On Saturday night Israel said it was simultaneously working to intercept a new salvo of missiles fired from Iran, while also carrying out strikes on “military targets in Tehran”.Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that an Israeli strike had targeted the country’s defence ministry headquarters in Tehran and damaged one of its buildings. The ministry did not comment.Iran, meanwhile, announced a “new wave” of attacks targeting Israel.Israel’s emergency services said an Iranian missile hit a home in the Haifa region, leaving 14 people injured, including one in critical condition.Israeli strikes meanwhile hit two fuel depots in Tehran, the Iranian oil ministry said Sunday.According to the oil ministry, the oil depots at Shahran northwest of Tehran and another reservoir south of the city were hit. An AFP journalist saw the depot at Shahran on fire.- ‘Every site, every target’ -Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and 320 wounded in Friday’s first wave of Israeli strikes.Israel on Saturday said three people were killed and 76 wounded by Iran’s drone and missile barrage the night before.Netanyahu has vowed to keep up Israel’s campaign.”We will hit every site, every target of the ayatollah regime,” he said in a video statement, threatening greater action “in the coming days”.He added that the Israeli campaign had dealt a “real blow” to Iran’s nuclear programme and maintained it had the “clear support” of US President Donald Trump.Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in a phone call on Saturday that the conflict between Iran and Israel “should end”.Pezeshkian said meanwhile that “the continuation of the Zionist aggression will be met with a more severe and powerful response from the Iranian armed forces”.According to a statement from his office, Pezeshkian also condemned Washington’s “dishonesty” for supporting Israel while engaged in nuclear talks with Iran — which mediator Oman said would no longer take place on Sunday.Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it denies.Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the Israeli attacks undermined negotiations and were pushing the region into a “dangerous cycle of violence”.- Foreign concern -After decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time the arch-enemies have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the Middle East.Highlighting the unease, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against a “devastating war” with regional consequences, in a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara said.Israeli strikes have hit Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant and killed its highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, as well as the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.The Israeli military said its strikes had killed more than 20 Iranian commanders.Iranian media reported five Guards killed Saturday in Israeli strikes, while authorities in one northwestern province said 30 military personnel had been killed there since Friday.Iran’s Red Crescent said an ambulance was hit Saturday in Urmia city, killing two.Iran called on its citizens to unite in the country’s defence, while Netanyahu urged them to rise up against against the government.Iran’s Mehr news agency said Tehran had warned Britain, France and the United States it could retaliate if they came to Israel’s defence.- ‘Everything was shaking’ -AFP images from the city of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv showed blown-out buildings, destroyed vehicles and streets strewn with debris after Iran’s first wave of attacks.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had struck dozens of targets in Israel. One Iranian missile wounded seven Israeli soldiers, the military said.Firefighters had worked for hours to free people trapped in a Tel Aviv high-rise building on Friday.Chen Gabizon, a resident, said he ran to an underground shelter after receiving an alert.”We just heard a very big explosion, everything was shaking, smoke, dust, everything was all over the place,” he said.In Tehran, fire and heavy smoke billowed over Mehrabad airport on Saturday, an AFP journalist said.The Israeli army said it had struck an underground military facility Saturday in western Iran’s Khorramabad that contained surface-to-surface and cruise missiles.Iranian media also reported a “massive explosion” following an Israeli drone strike on an oil refinery in the southern city of Kangan.The attacks prompted several countries to temporarily ground air traffic, with Jordan again shutting its airspace late Saturday after it had briefly reopened it.burs/ser/rlp

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump Saturday that Moscow was ready to hold a fresh round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, once the sides complete exchanging prisoners and soldiers’ bodies.Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that “the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”Putin and Trump held a call for the fifth time since the Republican took office and sought to reset relations with Moscow, in a stark pivot from the approach of his predecessor Joe Biden’s administration.Trump’s approach has stunned Washington’s allies, raising doubts about the future of US aid to Kyiv and leaving Europe scrambling to work out how it can fill any gap in supplies if Trump decides to pull US military, financial and intelligence support.”Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations” during the call, in which they also discussed the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Kremlin said.It added that the presidents “communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be”.- ‘Happy birthday’ call -Trump posted on Truth Social to say Putin had called “to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday” on the day he turned 79, but that “more importantly” the two discussed the Iran-Israel crisis.”He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,” Trump said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.Zelensky urged the United States to “shift tone” in its dialogue with Russia, saying it was “too warm” and would not help to end the fighting.”Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it,” the Ukrainian President said on X.The recent escalation sparked fears Washington might relocate resources at its expense, to beef up the defence of its close ally Israel which unleashed a large-scale attack on Iran Friday.”We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this,” he said. “Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid to Ukraine.”- More soldiers exchanged -Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine and Russia swapped prisoners in the fourth such exchange this week, part of a large-scale plan to bring back 1,000 wounded prisoners from each side and return bodies of killed soldiers.The prisoner agreement was the only visible result of two recent rounds of talks in Istanbul.Photos published by Zelensky on Telegram showed men of various ages, mostly with shaved heads, wearing camouflage and draped in Ukrainian flags.Some were injured, others disembarked from buses and hugged those welcoming them, or were seen calling someone by phone, sometimes covering their faces or smiling.Moscow’s defence ministry released its own video showing men in uniforms holding Russian flags, clapping and chanting “Glory to Russia” and “hooray”, some raising their fists in the air. As part of the Istanbul agreements, Kyiv also said it had received another 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia. It said Moscow had said they were those of “Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.” Ukraine did not say whether it returned any bodies to Russia.Russia has rejected calls to halt its three-year offensive. It has demanded Ukraine cede territory and renounce Western military support if it wants peace.Since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the assault has forced millions of people to flee their homes as towns and cities across eastern Ukraine have been flattened by heavy bombardments.Meanwhile, Russia intensified its advances along the front line, especially on the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, where it seeks to establish a “buffer zone”.By doing it, Moscow seeks to protect its bordering region of Kursk, previously partly occupied by Ukraine. Zelensky said Russia’s advance on Sumy was stopped and that Kyiv’s forces had managed to retake one village.He also denied Moscow’s earlier claims that its troops entered the Dnipropetrovsk region. He said 53,000 Russian soldiers were involved in the Sumy operation.

The partnership between US Steel and Nippon Steel has reached a new phase, with an agreement on US national security guarantees, in addition to the so-called “golden share” advantage obtained by President Donald Trump’s administration.On Friday evening, Trump signed an executive order approving the partnership, bringing an end to the long-running saga over foreign ownership …

US Steel, Nippon partnership proceeds with security deal, ‘golden share’ Read More »

Internet is back up in the war-battered Gaza Strip, the head of the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority told AFP on Saturday, after a three-day blackout blamed on Israel’s military.”The network is up now in all of the Gaza Strip,” said the regulatory body’s CEO Laith Daraghmeh.The Palestinian Authority’s telecommunications ministry reported on Thursday that internet and fixed-line communications were down after Israeli forces targeted a fibre optic cable, a claim Israel has not commented on.The ministry said that its maintenance and repair teams had at first been unable to safely access the sites where the damage occurred.The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Thursday that the internet outage hindered its operations by impeding communication with first responders in the field, also blaming Israel for the blackout.Now in its 21st month, the war in Gaza has caused massive damage to infrastructure including water mains, power lines and roads across the Palestinian territory.

Israel targeted Iran’s air defence capabilities on Saturday, pressing on with a massive wave of strikes it began a day earlier that targeted Iranian nuclear and military facilities, prompting counterattacks by Iran.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to hit “every target of the ayatollah regime”, adding: “What they have felt so far is nothing.”Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, warned the continued “aggression will be met with a more severe and powerful response”.The first wave of Israeli strikes killed 78 people and wounded 320, according to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.The Israeli military said three people were killed and 76 wounded since Iran began its retaliatory attacks.International calls for restraint have multiplied as fears grow that the Middle East could be on the threshold of a broader conflict.Here is what we know:- Targeting air defences -On Saturday, Israel’s military said it was attacking dozens of missile launchers in Iran after announcing it had targeted air defences with a wave of strikes in the Tehran area.Iranian media also reported a “massive explosion” on Saturday after an Israeli drone strike on a refinery in the southern city of Kangan.The air campaign, which has targeted surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile infrastructure in Iran, has given Israel “aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran”, Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin told journalists.Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that “Tehran will burn” if Iran kept targeting Israeli civilians.- Iran’s response -Israel said dozens of missiles — some of which were intercepted — had been fired in the latest salvos from Iran.AFP images of the city of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv showed blown-out buildings, destroyed vehicles and streets strewn with debris.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked dozens of targets in Israel.- Nuclear talks -The fiercest ever exchange of fire between the arch foes came amid ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington seeking to reach a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme.Before the Israeli strikes, the two sides had been set to hold a sixth round of negotiations in Oman on Sunday.But Iran said it would be “meaningless” to attend the talks while it was under attack by Israel, and Oman confirmed Sunday’s talks had been called off.Tehran has consistently denied seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, but had been enriching uranium to 60 percent — far above the 3.67-percent limit set by a 2015 agreement with major powers that the United States and Iran have since largely abandoned.However, that is still short of the 90-percent enrichment threshold needed for a nuclear warhead.- More Iranian generals killed -The Israeli military said on Saturday its air strikes had killed more than 20 Iranian army and Revolutionary Guard commanders.Iranian state media reported on Saturday that General Gholamreza Mehrabi, deputy head of intelligence of the armed forces general staff, and General Mehdi Rabbani, deputy head of operations, had been killed.On Friday, other members of the top brass reported killed included the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, and armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, with replacements swiftly named by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.The Revolutionary Guards said its aerospace commander Amirali Hajizadeh was also killed. He was in charge of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal.Iranian media said on Saturday that three more nuclear scientists were killed, bringing the total to nine — a toll that Israel also reported.- Nuclear sites hit -Israel’s attacks started in the early hours of Friday, a day of rest and prayer in Iran, and continued through the day at various sites.One key target was a vast underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, which Israel hit several times, according to Iranian state television.Israel said another strike later Friday on an Iranian plant in Isfahan damaged infrastructure for reconverting enriched uranium.Netanyahu said Israel’s strikes had dealt a “real blow” to Iran’s nuclear programme.But Iran said the damage was limited, both in Isfahan and at another uranium enrichment facility at Fordo.burs/kir/jhb/smw

Israel on Saturday threatened to strike “every target of the ayatollah regime” in Iran, whose president warned of a severe response if the Israeli attacks continue, fuelling fears of an escalating conflict.The threats came as the two longtime foes exchanged fire a day after Israel unleashed an unprecedented aerial bombing campaign, which scuppered plans for a new round of Iran-US nuclear talks Sunday.The Israeli strikes since Friday hit military and nuclear sites in Iran, and according to officials killed dozens, including top army and Revolutionary Guards commanders as well as civilians.Iran responded with barrages of drones and missiles fired at Israel overnight.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that “the continuation of the Zionist aggression will be met with a more severe and powerful response from the Iranian armed forces.”According to a statement from his office, Pezeshkian condemned Washington’s “dishonesty” for supporting Israel while the United States was engaged in nuclear talks with Iran — which mediator Oman said would no longer take place on Sunday, when a sixth round had been scheduled.Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the Israeli attacks undermined negotiations and showed Israel’s “inherent hostility to diplomacy”.Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people had been killed and 320 wounded in Friday’s first wave of Israeli strikes.Israel said three people were killed and 76 wounded by Iran’s retaliation.Israel reacted furiously to the waves of drone and missile strikes launched by Iran, which lit up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.The Israeli military said it had cleared an aerial path to the Iranian capital, after dozens of strikes targeting missile launchers and air defences in Iran.”We will hit every site, every target of the ayatollah regime,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in a video statement.He said the Israeli campaign had dealt a “real blow” to Iran’s nuclear programme and had the “clear support” of US President Donald Trump.”Very soon, you will see Israeli aircraft… in the skies over Tehran,” Netanyahu said, threatening greater action “in the coming days”.Netanyahu’s defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that “Tehran will burn” if Iran keeps targeting Israeli civilians.- ‘Smoke, dust’ -After decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the Middle East.Highlighting the unease, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against a “devastating war” with regional consequences in a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara said.Israel is pushing the region into a “dangerous cycle of violence”, warned Iran’s top diplomat Araghchi.Launched early Friday, Israel’s operation struck Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant and assassinated Iran’s highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, as well as the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.The Israeli military said its strikes had killed more than 20 Iranian commanders.Iranian media reported five Guards killed Saturday in Israeli strikes, while authorities in one northwestern province said 30 military personnel had been killed there since Friday.Iran’s Red Crescent said an ambulance was hit Saturday in Urmia city, killing two.Iran called on its citizens to unite in the country’s defence, while Netanyahu urged them to rise up.Iran’s Mehr news agency said Tehran had warned Britain, France and the United States it could retaliate if they came to Israel’s defence.Overnight, air raid sirens and explosions rang out across Israel, with many residents holed up in bomb shelters.Israel said some 150 missiles — some intercepted — had been fired from Iran. AFP images of the city of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv showed blown-out buildings, destroyed vehicles and streets strewn with debris.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked dozens of targets in Israel. One Iranian missile wounded seven Israeli soldiers, the military said.Firefighters had worked for hours to free people trapped in a Tel Aviv high-rise building on Friday.Chen Gabizon, a resident, said he ran to an underground shelter after receiving an alert.”We just heard a very big explosion, everything was shaking, smoke, dust, everything was all over the place,” he said.In Tehran, fire and heavy smoke billowed over Mehrabad airport on Saturday, an AFP journalist said.Blasts were heard across the capital as Iran activated its air defences against the incoming fire.Iranian media reported a “massive explosion” on Saturday following an Israeli drone strike on an oil refinery in the southern city of Kangan.Dozens of Iranians took to the streets to cheer their country’s response, with some waving national flags and chanting anti-Israel slogans.- ‘Time to stop’ -The attacks prompted several countries to temporarily ground air traffic, though on Saturday Jordan, Lebanon and Syria reopened their airspace.Iran’s airspace was closed until further notice, state media reported, as was Israel’s, according to authorities.As fears mounted of wider conflict, UN chief Antonio Guterres called on both sides to cease fire.”Time to stop. Peace and diplomacy must prevail,” he said on X.Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump discussed the conflict in a phone call, the Kremlin said Saturday.Pope Leo XIV appealed for Israel and Iran to show “responsibility and reason”.The conflict has thrown into doubt US efforts to strike a deal with Iran on its nuclear programme.After Friday’s first strikes, Trump said his administration hoped “to get back to the negotiating table”.”While there will be no meeting Sunday, we remain committed to talks,” a US official told AFP on condition of anonymity.Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it denies.