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Loud explosions rocked Tehran on Monday as Israel said it struck “regime targets” in the city, escalating tensions a day after US air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.Iran, in turn, fired missile barrages at Israel and vowed retaliation against the United States, as both sides intensified attacks on the war’s 11th day.An Iranian news agency said Israel struck Fordo — a key nuclear enrichment facility buried deep in the mountains south of Tehran. The previous day, the United States hit the site with “bunker buster” bombs in support of its ally Israel.”The aggressor attacked the Fordo nuclear site again,” the Tasnim agency reported, quoting a provincial official.President Donald Trump boasted Sunday’s US strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to assess the impact on Iran’s nuclear programme, which Israel and some Western states consider an existential threat.Aerial assaults meanwhile raged on, with sirens sounding across Israel and AFP journalists reporting blasts were heard over Jerusalem.The Israeli military said it had struck missile sites in western Iran, “six Iranian regime airports” across the country, and unspecified “military targets” in the capital.An AFP journalist in Tehran reported hearing loud explosions in the city’s north, and the Iranian Red Crescent said an Israeli strike hit near its building in the same area.Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military was “carrying out strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government oppression in the heart of Tehran”, adding to speculation that Israel may seek to topple Iran’s clerical leadership.Iranian media said Israel’s strikes hit a power supply system in Tehran, triggering outages.In Israel, the national electricity company reported “damage near a strategic infrastructure facility” in the south that disrupted power supply, without naming the location or specifying the cause.Some details of the damage in Israel are barred from publication due to military censorship rules.An AFP photographer in Tel Aviv saw people rush to a bomb shelter after sirens sounded, including beach-goers with in swimsuits and carrying surfing boards.Footage shared by the Israeli military of what it said were the latest airport strikes showed grainy black-and-white footage of fighter jets and helicopters explode upon impact.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- ‘Extremely dangerous’ -After the US strikes, global markets reacted nervously, with oil prices jumping more than four percent early Monday but dipping later in the day.China urged both Iran and Israel to prevent the conflict from spilling over, warning of potential economic fallout.Iranian armed forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on state television that the US “hostile act”, following more than a week of Israeli bombardments, would “pave the way for the extension of war in the region”.”The fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you,” he warned.Oman, a key mediator in the stalled Iran-US nuclear talks, condemned the US strikes and called for calm.Iran’s foreign ministry accused Washington of betraying diplomacy.”Future generations will not forget that the Iranians were in the middle of a diplomatic process with a country that is now at war with us,” said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to help deter Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said closing the strategic strait would be “extremely dangerous”.With Iran threatening US bases in the region, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad.In Bahrain, home to a major US base, the US embassy said it had “temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework” citing “heightened regional tensions”.- Trump touts ‘regime change’ -After the Pentagon stressed the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea.”If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.Hours later he posted: “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran… Obliteration is an accurate term!”At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country’s bombardments would “finish” once the stated objectives of destroying Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved.”We are very, very close to completing them,” he said.Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage.”Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place,” he added.Iran has consistently denied seeking an atomic bomb, and Grossi has said there was no evidence to suggest so despite the Islamic republic’s advanced uranium enrichment and other activities.The IAEA said on Monday Tehran had informed it of “special measures to protect nuclear material” when the Israeli campaign began.The US agency also said it was seeking access to Iranian nuclear sites to “account for” stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, had accused the United States of deciding to “blow up” nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war.burs-ami/dv

President Donald Trump said Sunday that US strikes on Iran caused “monumental damage” to its nuclear sites, as Washington joined ally Israel’s bombing campaign.While Washington insists the United States is not seeking to topple the government in the Islamic republic, comments by US President Donald Trump have been more ambivalent.With Iran vowing retaliation and the international community pushing to avert a wider conflagration in the region, here are the latest developments:- ‘Obliteration’ -Trump wrote on social media on Sunday that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” He did not share the images he was referencing. The attack targeted Isfahan, Natanz and the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, with Iran’s media reporting that all three sites had been hit.US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said seven B-2 stealth bombers had flown 18 hours to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs — a powerful 13,600-kilogram (30,000-pound) weapon.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme”, but “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people”.Vice President JD Vance said the US air strikes had “set the Iranian nuclear programme back substantially”.- ‘Regime change’ -Trump “seeks peace”, Hegseth said at a press briefing, adding: “This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change.”But Trump himself, in comments later Sunday, mulled the possibility.”It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Iran “must now agree to end this war”, Trump said after the strikes, insisting that under no circumstances should it possess a nuclear weapon.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “thanks to President Trump, we have moved closer to our goals”.At a UN Security Council emergency meeting Sunday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against “descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation”.The leaders of France, Germany and Britain called on Iran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region”.The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran after the US strikes.- ‘Worldwide caution’ -Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation.”Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would “receive a response” to the attacks. The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those travelling or living abroad at increased risk.”There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the State Department’s security alert said.”The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”- Iran and Israel trade fire -Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire.The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. After the US attacks, Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport, a “biological research” facility, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres.Tehran governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told state TV that “more than 200 locations have been attacked” across the capital since the start of Israel’s bombing campaign on June 13.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- Strait of Hormuz -US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following the American strikes.Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.”I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News.burs-csp/tc/lb

Aerial assaults raged between Iran and Israel early Monday, while Tehran vowed retaliation over the bunker-buster bombs American warplanes unleashed at the weekend on three nuclear sites. US President Donald Trump insisted the attack had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to determine how significantly Tehran’s nuclear programme had been impacted.As the world awaited Iran’s reply, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 “a big mistake”.”The Zionist enemy… is being punished right now,” Khamenei wrote on social media.Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire.The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. In a sign of possible nervousness about the conflict spilling into a wider regional war, oil prices jumped by more than four percent in early trading on Monday.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. With Iran threatening US bases in the Middle East, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad.”The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the department’s security alert said. It made no mention of the US strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.- ‘Regime change’ -In central Tehran on Sunday, protesters waved flags and chanted slogans against US and Israeli attacks.In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh told AFP she was “truly shocked” by the strikes.”Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I’m very concerned for the people who live near,” she said.Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US strikes revealed Washington was “behind” Israel’s campaign against the Islamic republic and vowed a response.After the Pentagon stressed that the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea. “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Hours later he doubled down on emphasising the success of his strikes.”Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” Trump wrote, without sharing the images he was referencing. “The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” he added.At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said that while it would be “way too early” for him to determine the level of destruction, “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage.”Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country’s bombardments will “finish” once the stated objectives of destroying Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved.”We are very, very close to completing them,” he told reporters.- ‘Grave consequences’ -In response to the US attack, which used over a dozen massive “bunker buster” bombs, Iran’s armed forces targeted sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, with at least 23 people wounded.Nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, while three people were killed after an ambulance was struck.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage.He added that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.”The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticised the US strikes and called for de-escalation, while France, Germany and Britain called on Tehran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region.”North Korea, which is also at odds with Washington over its own nuclear weapons, condemned the US strikes as a violation of the United Nations charter.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of deciding to “blow up” nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war.He headed to Moscow on Sunday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.On Sunday, Russia, China and Pakistan circulated a draft resolution with other Security Council members that calls for an “immediate ceasefire” in Iran.burs-lb/fox

Iran on Sunday threatened US bases in the Middle East after massive air strikes that Washington said had destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program, though some officials cautioned that the extent of damage was unclear.With aerial assaults between Iran and Israel raging — including fresh strikes by Israel on what it said were military targets in Iran — the US State Department issued a worldwide caution alert for its citizens traveling or living abroad.International concern focused on fears that the unprecedented US attacks would deepen conflict in the volatile region after Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran earlier this month.Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation.”Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.”America has attacked the heart of the Islamic world and must await irreparable consequences.”In a sign of possible nervousness about a wider war, oil prices jumped by more than four percent at one point in early trading in Asia.President Donald Trump urged Iran to end the conflict after he launched surprise strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.”We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the ‘bomb’ right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!)” he said on social media.And while the US president did not directly advocate regime change in the Islamic republic, he openly played with the idea — even after his aides stressed that was not a goal of American intervention.”It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing earlier that Iran’s nuclear program had been “devastated,” adding the operation “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.”Standing beside Hegseth, top US general Dan Caine said that while it would be “way too early” for him to determine the level of destruction, “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said his country’s military strikes will “finish” once the stated objectives of destroying Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved.”We are very, very close to completing them,” he told reporters.- Tehran protests -As Iran’s leaders struck defiant tones, President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would “receive a response” to the attacks.People gathered Sunday in central Tehran to protest against US and Israeli attacks, waving flags and chanting slogans.In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh told AFP she was “truly shocked” by the strikes.”Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I’m very concerned for the people who live near,” she said.In an address to the nation hours after the attack, Trump claimed success for the operation, and Vice President JD Vance followed up Sunday morning.”We know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night,” Vance told ABC.But he also suggested Iran still had its highly enriched uranium.”We’re going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel,” he said. “They no longer have the capacity to turn that stockpile of highly enriched uranium to weapons-grade uranium.”Another Khamenei advisor, Ali Shamkhani, said in a post on X that “even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn’t over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain.”Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but no one had been able to assess the underground damage.- Retaliation risk -The main US strike group was seven B-2 Spirit bombers that flew 18 hours from the American mainland to Iran.In response to the attack, which used over a dozen massive “bunker buster” bombs, Iran’s armed forces targeted sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, with at least 23 people wounded.Nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, while three people were killed after an ambulance was also struck.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people so far, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticized the US strikes and called for de-escalation, while France, Germany and Britain called on Tehran “not to take any further action that could destabilize the region.”Late Sunday the US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk.”There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the security alert said. “The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”burs-wd/mlm/bjt