New Israeli strikes hit Tehran as Iran warns that U.S. involvement would
risk 'all-out war'
[June 18, 2025]
By JOSEPH KRAUSS, JON GAMBRELL and JULIA FRANKEL
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israeli warplanes pounded Iran's
capital overnight and into Wednesday as Iran launched a small barrage of
missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties. An Iranian official
warned Wednesday that that any U.S. intervention in the conflict would
risk “all-out war.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei delivered the warning in an
interview with Al Jazeera English, saying “any American intervention
would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.” He did not
elaborate, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby
countries within range of Iran's weapons. The U.S. has threatened a
massive response to any attack.
Another Iranian official said the country would keep enriching uranium
for peaceful purposes, apparently ruling out demands to give up its
disputed nuclear program.
U.S. President Donald Trump initially distanced himself from Israel's
surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent
days has hinted at greater American involvement, saying he wants
something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S. has also sent more
warplanes to the region.
Strikes in and around Tehran
The latest Israeli strikes hit a facility used to make uranium
centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli
military said. It said it had intercepted 10 missiles overnight as
Iran’s retaliatory barrages diminish. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said
Israel had struck two centrifuge production facilities in and near
Tehran.
Israeli strikes have hit several nuclear and military sites, killing top
generals and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights
group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been
killed and more than 1,300 wounded.
Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory
strikes that have killed at least 24 people in Israel and wounded
hundreds. Some have hit apartment buildings in central Israel, causing
heavy damage, and air raid sirens have repeatedly forced Israelis to run
for shelter.
Iran has fired fewer missiles as the conflict has worn on. It has not
explained the decline, but Israel has targeted launchers and other
infrastructure related to the missiles.
Casualties mount in Iran
The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified
239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security
personnel.
The group, which also provided detailed casualty figures during 2022
protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports
against a network of sources it has developed in Iran.
Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls during the conflict and
has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday,
put the toll at 224 people killed and 1,277 others wounded.
Shops have been closed across Tehran, including in its famed Grand
Bazaar, as people wait in gas lines and pack roads leading out of the
city to escape the onslaught.
A major explosion could be heard around 5 a.m. in Tehran Wednesday
morning, following other explosions earlier in the predawn darkness.
Authorities in Iran offered no acknowledgement of the attacks, which has
become increasingly common as the Israeli airstrikes have intensified.
At least one strike appeared to target Tehran’s eastern neighborhood of
Hakimiyeh, where the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has an academy.
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People take shelter in an underground metro station as a precaution
against possible Iran missile attacks, in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv,
Israel, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
No signs of backing down
Israel says it launched the strikes to prevent Iran from building a
nuclear weapon, after talks between the United States and Iran over
a diplomatic resolution had made little visible progress over two
months but were still ongoing. Trump has said Israel’s campaign came
after a 60-day window he set for the talks.
Iran long has insisted its nuclear program was peaceful, though it
is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a
short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. U.S.
intelligence agencies have said they did not believe Iran was
actively pursuing the bomb.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons
but has never publicly acknowledged them.
Iran's ambassador to Geneva, Ali Bahreini, told reporters that Iran
"will continue to produce the enriched uranium as far as we need for
peaceful purposes.”
He rejected any talk of a setback to Iran’s nuclear research and
development from the Israeli strikes, saying, “Our scientists will
continue their work.”
Trump demands Iranian surrender
Trump demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” in a post on social media
Tuesday and warned Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
that the U.S. knows where he is hiding but that there were no plans
to kill him, “at least not for now.”
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about the
evolving situation over the phone on Tuesday, according to a White
House official.
Bahreini, the Iranian ambassador, said Trump's remarks were
“completely unwarranted” and “very hostile,” and that Iran could not
ignore them.
He said Iranian authorities were “vigilant” about the comments and
would decide if the U.S. crossed any lines. “Once the red line is
crossed, the response will come.”
Israel welcomes first repatriation flights
Israelis began returning on flights for the first time since the
country’s international airport shut down at the start of the
conflict.
Two flights from Larnaca, Cyprus, landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion
International Airport on Wednesday morning, said Lisa Dvir, an
airport spokesperson.
Israel closed its airspace to commercial flights because of the
ballistic missile attacks, leaving tens of thousands of Israelis
stranded abroad. The conflict has disrupted flight patterns across
the region.
___
Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Amir
Vahdat and Nasser Karimi in Iran, and Jamey Keaten in Geneva,
contributed.
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