Iran–Israel Crisis: Live Updates

As Israeli airstrikes continue to rock the Iranian capital, Tehran’s youth are finding hope and resilience not in bomb shelters, but in the online spaces where they connect and support one another. From Discord servers to encrypted chat groups, Generation Z is building new communities in the face of chaos.

👉 Read our full report on how young Iranians are turning to the digital world for survival and solidarity.

A classified briefing on Iran for all US senators is scheduled for early next week, according to an aide for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. While the exact date and time have not been disclosed, Schumer confirmed at a Wednesday news conference that he had requested the briefing. This update comes via CNN.

The Israeli military claims it has struck more than 20 military sites in Tehran, including facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear programme and missile production. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said 60 fighter jets targeted weapons and centrifuge production sites, as well as research and development locations tied to Iran’s nuclear project. The IDF added that factories producing missile components and air defence systems were also hit. Iran maintains its nuclear activities are peaceful and denies developing nuclear weapons, according to CNN.
 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly thanked former President Donald Trump for his support as Israel continues its bombing campaign across Iran. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said, “I want to thank President Trump, a great friend of the state of Israel. I thank him for being at our side, and I thank him for the support of the United States in defending Israel’s skies,” according to Al Jazeera.
 

The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on the Israel-Iran conflict at 10am in New York (14:00 GMT) this Friday. According to Al Jazeera, the session follows a request from Iran, which argued the situation has “dangerously escalated” due to what it claims is clear evidence of direct US involvement.

Iran’s call for a meeting has been backed by Russia, China, Pakistan, and Algeria.

Tehran’s air defence system has been activated and is “actively engaging hostile targets” on Wednesday night, according to Iranian state-affiliated Nour News.

President Donald Trump has said he has not made a final decision about potential US military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. Speaking to CNN, Trump confirmed he would soon meet with his national security team in the Situation Room to discuss possible actions.

Trump indicated he is open to using US military assets against Iranian nuclear facilities but insisted he prefers to wait until the last moment before making any final calls, due to the rapidly changing situation.

He described Israel’s initial strikes on Iran as “devastating” and said discussions in the Situation Room would help shape the next steps. On the prospect of the Iranian regime falling, Trump stated, “I have a plan for everything, but we’ll see what happens.”

Trump also claimed Iran is interested in negotiations and possibly a meeting at the White House, though Iranian officials have denied this. He stressed that he has not closed the door on direct talks with Iran.
 

The World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned recent violence against people in Gaza trying to access humanitarian aid, calling it “completely unacceptable.” In a statement, the organisation said “far too many people have died” while seeking assistance, as ongoing Israeli attacks have left dozens of Palestinians dead over the past several days.

The WFP stressed that “any violence resulting in starving people being killed or injured while seeking life-saving assistance is completely unacceptable.” The agency also highlighted ongoing restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, warning that humanitarian access remains extremely limited.

According to the WFP, only 9,000 metric tons of food aid have reached Gaza over the past month—described as a “tiny fraction” of what is needed for the territory’s 2.1 million residents. The agency contrasted this with previous periods of ceasefire, during which it was able to help facilitate the entry of up to 600 aid trucks per day.

France’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has said President Macron believes that pursuing military regime change in Iran would be a “strategic mistake.” The spokesperson added that France’s position is clear and consistent, calling for an end to the dangerous escalation in the region.

They stressed that the Iranian nuclear issue cannot be resolved militarily and urged the resumption of talks. The spokesperson also stated that Europe’s role is to encourage Israel to pursue diplomacy, not conflict, and reiterated France’s call for both sides to halt military operations and return to negotiations.

A recent poll commissioned by the NGO Action for Humanity, as reported by Al-Jazeera, reveals that a growing proportion of Britons view Israel’s conduct in Gaza as amounting to genocide. According to the survey, 55 percent of UK respondents disapprove of Israel’s actions in Gaza, compared with only 15 percent who express support.

Among Labour supporters, opposition is even stronger: 68 percent are against Israel’s actions, and a striking 78 percent believe that the UK should enforce any International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Jonathan Purcell, from the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, told Allegeza: “The UK government is completely out of step with the British public, whom they are meant to represent. The Labour Party is even more disconnected from its own supporters.”

Reporting from Tehran, Tohid Asadi tells Al-Jazeera that explosions continue to echo through the capital, with a fresh wave of attacks heard only moments ago.

Initial reports suggest there have been casualties, with several individuals reportedly injured following an Israeli strike on a building said to be of key importance to the commander of Iran’s police force. At this stage, no further details have been confirmed.

Strikes are not confined to Tehran alone, according to Al-Jazeera. There are ongoing accounts of Israeli attacks taking place in various other cities across Iran, signalling that the escalation is continuing beyond the capital.

Iran has formally requested another meeting of the United Nations Security Council, citing what it describes as an alarming escalation in the region. In a letter obtained by Al-Jazeera, Iran’s UN mission claims the situation has worsened due to “mounting and undeniable evidence of direct US involvement in this unlawful campaign”.

The letter sharply criticised what it referred to as former President Trump’s “brazen threat” to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and to target the nation’s nuclear sites. Iran argued these remarks indicated “coordinated complicity in acts of war and state-sponsored aggression and terrorism at the highest levels”.

According to Al-Jazeera, the Iranian mission further stated that “such reckless and inflammatory statements, especially when made by the leader of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, represent a grave and egregious breach of international law”.

This development comes after the Security Council convened for an emergency session on Friday, following Israel’s initial strikes on Iranian territory. During the meeting, Israeli and US envoys defended Israel’s military actions, while numerous other Council members called for restraint and urgent de-escalation.

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has voiced deep concern over the intensifying military tensions between Israel and Iran. According to a statement reported by Allegeza, Mr Guterres said he remains “profoundly alarmed by the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East”.

He reiterated his urgent call for an immediate de-escalation that would pave the way for a ceasefire. The UN chief also strongly appealed to all parties to refrain from actions that could further internationalise the conflict, warning that any additional military involvement might have far-reaching consequences—not only for the directly affected countries, but for the wider region and global peace and security.

“Diplomacy remains the best and only route for addressing concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme and wider regional security matters,” Mr Guterres added, as cited by Allegeza.

Iran’s air defence systems have been activated over Tehran in response to incoming projectiles, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency, as reported by CNN’s Michael Rios.

Footage shared on Mehr’s X account shows bright flashes lighting up the night sky, accompanied by the sound of explosions reverberating across the capital.

No official statement has yet confirmed the nature or source of the incoming fire.

🔴 Tehran air defense successfully repelling Israeli aggression#BREAKING #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/vdJ18MfDls

— Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) June 17, 2025