Iran Launches Missile Barrage on Israel; Israel Strikes Back in Southwest Iran

Iran launched a missile barrage into Israel early Friday morning, prompting widespread panic and forcing millions of Israelis into bomb shelters. Despite the intensity of the attack, no casualties have been reported. In response, Israel continued its air campaign deep into Iranian territory, targeting military infrastructure and key nuclear-related facilities in Ahvaz, Shiraz, and Isfahan.

Efforts to broker peace remain stalled. A high-level summit held in Geneva between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and European leaders yielded no breakthroughs. Meanwhile, at the United Nations Security Council, Israeli and Iranian diplomats traded sharp accusations during a heated but ultimately fruitless session. The diplomatic impasse underscores the deepening crisis, as both nations show no signs of backing down.

In Washington, President Donald Trump dismissed the European initiative and emphasised that any meaningful diplomatic resolution would require direct U.S. involvement. He announced a two-week window for potential negotiations before deciding whether to authorize a U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear sites.

Foreign Minister Araghchi said Iran does not trust the United States and would not engage in negotiations as long as Israeli strikes continue. In Israel, military leadership signaled readiness for a drawn-out confrontation, with the chief of the defense forces warning of a “prolonged campaign” against Iran.

Concerns over the safety of Iran’s nuclear sites are growing rapidly. According to Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Israeli strikes have already caused some radiological leaks, though he confirmed there is no immediate threat to the public. Grossi warned that continued attacks on nuclear facilities pose an escalating risk, adding that the latest strike on a centrifuge manufacturing workshop in Isfahan marked the third such incident in recent days. While the site did not contain any nuclear material, the IAEA chief noted that nuclear safety in the region has significantly deteriorated.

The human toll continues to mount. Iranian state media reported that over 400 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded since the Israeli offensive began on June 13. On the Israeli side, the death toll from Iran’s retaliatory strikes stands at 24.

The conflict is drawing in regional actors as well. Yemen’s Houthi rebels issued a warning today, threatening to target U.S. ships in the Red Sea if Washington joins the Israeli military campaign. In a strongly worded statement, the Houthis accused Israel of seeking to eliminate Iran as part of a broader plan to dominate the Middle East and vowed to support any Arab or Muslim nation under Israeli attack. They reiterated their solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, saying they would not allow the “criminal entity backed by America” to advance its regional agenda unopposed.

Meanwhile, Israel claims to have assassinated Saeed Izadi, a senior Iranian commander allegedly responsible for arming Hamas in preparation for the October 7 massacre. According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Izadi was killed during an airstrike in the city of Qom. Iran has not confirmed the report, and NBC News has not been able to independently verify the claim.