Smoke rises from the rubble of an Iranian state media constructing in Tehran after an Israeli airstrike on June 16, 2025. The strike, which Israel confirmed focused “terror-linked propaganda infrastructure,” marks an extra escalation in regional tensions.
MINA/Center East Photographs/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
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MINA/Center East Photographs/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
There was panic and confusion in Iran’s capital metropolis of Tehran as Israel warned lots of of 1000’s of civilians to evacuate forward of extra potential strikes because the broadening battle between the 2 nations spilled into its fifth day.
Automobiles crammed with folks fleeing waited in miles-long traces at gasoline stations, making an attempt to purchase gasoline. Roads out of the town have been full of bumper-to-bumper visitors. On Tuesday, the Israeli navy stated it had launched a “giant scale assault wave within the coronary heart of Iran,” with dozens of fighter jets focusing on 12 completely different websites.
Zahra, an unemployed clothier in Tehran, informed NPR she was making an attempt to get out of the town to go to her hometown in western Iran however all of the roads have been blocked. She requested that solely her first title be used as a result of she feared authorities reprisal for talking to the media.
“We do not know what we must always do. What choices can we or ought to we make? We do not have web. We can not even hear the information,” she stated in a collection of voice notes that she says took her greater than 18 hours to ship because of the lack of sign.
“Every particular person is simply occupied with how they’ll save their very own lives or the lives of their family members,” she stated. “Everyone seems to be simply occupied with find out how to keep away from these missiles.”
President Trump posted on his social media platform late Monday additionally calling for civilians in Tehran to depart.
“IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump wrote. “Everybody ought to instantly evacuate Tehran!”
On Tuesday, he went a step additional, suggesting in a submit that the U.S. knew the placement of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “We all know precisely the place the so-called ‘Supreme Chief’ is hiding. He’s a simple goal, however is protected there — We aren’t going to take him out (kill!), a minimum of not for now.”
Trump left the G7 summit in Canada a day early, because of the intensifying battle within the Center East.
“I’ve to be again. It is essential,” he informed reporters as he ready to return to the U.S. “I’ve to be again as quickly as I can.”
Listed here are 4 issues to know concerning the battle.
1. Many civilians have been caught within the crossfire
Israel says its assault on Iran is critical to stop the nation from constructing a nuclear weapon – which Israel sees as an existential risk – insisting its strikes have “exactly” focused navy and nuclear services and brought out a number of prime navy leaders and nuclear scientists.
These strikes have additionally killed greater than 200 civilians, together with a minimum of 20 kids, based on the Iranian authorities. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceable.
Dena, a 48-year-old resident of Tehran – who additionally requested to be recognized solely by her first title for worry of presidency reprisal – says the federal government has given civilians no data on find out how to defend themselves.
“They do not give us any sensible suggestions. No data as to which places we must always keep away from and which of them are protected to go. They do not discuss it in any respect,” she says. “They’re solely applauding and celebrating capturing missiles at Israel.”
Iran has responded by launching greater than 300 missiles and lots of of drones towards Israel, in a number of waves of assaults which have despatched civilians all through each Israel and the occupied West Financial institution scrambling for canopy amidst blaring air raid sirens. Israel’s navy says most of the projectiles have been intercepted, however a number of have hit, inflicting injury to residential buildings, killing a minimum of 24 civilians and wounding lots of extra, based on Israel’s prime minister’s workplace.
Israel and Iran have traded direct fireplace a number of instances – most just lately in October of final yr – because the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel in 2023 sparked the present warfare in Gaza. However this new spherical has lasted longer and been extra damaging and lethal for either side.
“Every little thing that we’re watching is defying expectations,” Aaron Stein, president of the Overseas Coverage Analysis Institute, informed NPR’s All Issues Thought-about. He stated Israel has gained management of a lot of Iran’s airspace and brought out its missile capabilities quicker than many consultants thought doable.
“But when they do not get sure nuclear services, and Iran has the potential on the finish of this factor to quickly construct a nuclear weapon, I’ll have judged this as a failure on the Israeli facet,” stated Stein.
2. Destroying all of Iran’s nuclear websites will not be straightforward
Iran has a number of nuclear services underground, particularly south of Tehran in Natanz and Fordo, the latter of which is constructed deep inside a mountain. That poses a severe problem for Israel’s air-to-ground functionality.
The services – and the centrifuges they include – can be utilized to complement uranium to a purity that might be used both in a nuclear reactor to generate electrical energy or to construct an atomic weapon, consultants say.
Chatting with the BBC on Monday, the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company’s Director, Basic Rafael Grossi, stated it was probably that all the 15,000 centrifuges at Natanz, Iran’s largest such facility, had been severely broken by Israeli airstrikes. He stated there was “very restricted, if any, injury” seen on the underground Fordo enrichment plant.
Fordo, “is deeply buried,” says Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and distinguished fellow on the Atlantic Council, a non-partisan assume thank in Washington, D.C. “[Only] the USA has the type of bunker busting capabilities that may really destroy that facility. However I do not rule out that Israel has some surprises up its sleeve.”
3. Israel’s endgame is unclear
At a information briefing on Monday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel’s strikes have set again Iran’s nuclear program by a “very very long time,” however emphasised that extra targets stay. When requested if Israel plans to maintain combating till the Iranian authorities falls, Netanyahu stated the primary purpose is to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities — but in addition added that the “regime could be very weak.”
In an interview with ABC Information Monday, Netanyahu stated that killing Iran’s Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei would “finish the battle.”
However consultants on the area inform NPR that it is unlikely Israel is particularly making an attempt to go that far proper now.
“I do not assume regime change is the target of this Israeli marketing campaign,” says Shapiro, who served as ambassador to Israel in the course of the Obama presidency. “I do not assume it is doable to do it with this sort of navy marketing campaign, and I do not assume that is even a official goal.”
Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow on the Carnegie Endowment for Worldwide Peace, a non-partisan assume tank, echoed that view.
“Even strategic bombing does not do it,” he says. With out occupying the nation, he provides, it will be practically unimaginable.
As an alternative, Israel is probably going counting on a “mowing the grass” technique, with the expectation of putting once more later in an iterative technique of setting again Iran’s nuclear program, Miller says.
In the meantime, Trump informed reporters aboard Air Pressure One on Tuesday that he was looking for “an actual finish” to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which he referred to as “higher than a ceasefire.”
4. The U.S. might be drawn in
Though Israel operates subtle U.S.-made warplanes, such because the F-35 fighter, it doesn’t possess the big 30,000 pound bunker-busting bombs and the B-2 stealth bombers wanted to ship them – instruments solely the U.S. possesses.
That places Israel in a troublesome place, says Miller of the Carnegie Endowment.
“They can not destroy Tehran’s program on their very own,” he says. “But when they cease and it survives, this will probably be seen as a defeat.”
To significantly degrade Iran’s nuclear program, Israel would probably want U.S. help.
Whether or not or not Washington will do that’s nonetheless a query. Trump was requested on the G7 summit in Canada what it will take for the U.S. to turn out to be militarily concerned, to which he responded merely: “I do not need to discuss that.”
However the U.S. has despatched fighter jets and navy planes to the area, because the battle has escalated. B-2 stealth bombers had been in place at a close-by U.S. base within the Indian Ocean, however have since moved.
“A unilateral Israeli strike… would set again this system by just a few weeks to a couple months. A U.S. assault would set it again by one or two years,” says Ali Vaez, director of the Worldwide Disaster Group’s Iran Mission.
Nevertheless, he cautions: “If the U.S. intervenes, the door to diplomacy will probably be shut fully… Iran would in all probability hunker down… whereas making an attempt to reconstitute its nuclear program and sprint for a nuclear weapon.”
The U.S. had been within the midst of talks with Iran over its nuclear program when Israel launched the shock assault late final week. Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have been purported to proceed final weekend, however have since stalled.
There is also penalties for the U.S., based on Shapiro.
“Iran may attempt to retaliate towards U.S. forces at bases within the Gulf states… or to blockade power shipments by the Strait of Hormuz,” he says. “These are methods Iran may attempt to verify in the event that they undergo, all people suffers.”
Trump has strongly warned Iran towards attacking the U.S., saying the American navy would reply with “full power and may.”
Shir David contributed to this report from Tel Aviv. NPR’s Tom Bowman contributed from Washington, D.C.
