Iran says Israel attack 'declaration of war' as fresh strikes reported
TEHRAN
Fire fighters work outside a building that was hit by Israeli air strikes north of Tehran, Iran, 13 June 2025.
Iran said Israel's deadly strikes on its military and nuclear facilities on Friday were a "declaration of war" and called on the U.N. Security Council to act.
In a letter to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack as a "declaration of war" and "called on the Security Council to immediately address this issue", the ministry said.
"Iran's response to the Israeli regime's aggression will be decisive and certain," the foreign ministry said in a statement, quoting Araghchi in a call with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran, with full determination, will take action to defend its sovereignty, people and national security, and will respond decisively to the Zionist regime's illegal and cowardly aggression," Araghchi also told Kuwait's Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, according to a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry.
A "massive explosion" was heard in Isfahan, a major city in central Iran, in a province that is home to several nuclear facilities, Mehr news agency said.
"A few minutes ago, a massive explosion was heard in Isfahan," said Mehr, without immediately elaborating.
According to state media reports, a loud explosion was heard early Friday morning near a military air base in the western Iranian province of Hamedan.
"A few hours ago, a loudb last was heard near Hamedan," more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the capital Tehran, the IRNA state news agency said, adding that "it was heard near the Nojeh airbase".
According to Iranian state media earlier, Israel launched a fresh attack on a key underground uranium enrichment facility in central Iran on Friday.
"Minutes ago, the Zionist regime targeted Natanz again," state media said.
Netanyahu expects 'several waves of Iranian attacks'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected "several waves of Iranian attacks" in response to Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic on Friday, saying he had initially planned an attack in April.
"We expect to be exposed to several waves of Iranian attacks," Netanyahu said in a video statement, after Israel struck military and nuclear sites in Iran in the early hours of Friday.
"It was necessary to act and I set the implementation date for the end of April 2025," Netanyahu said. "For various reasons, it did not work out."
Israel's army chief said the military was keeping up "full force" to achieve its goals after launching a wave of strikes on military and nuclear sites in Iran.
"We are continuing with full force, at a high pace, in order to meet the goals we have set for ourselves," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement.
"There will be difficult moments, we need to be prepared for the range of scenarios we have planned for, very high readiness and discipline are required on the home front."
18 killed in Israeli strike on northwest: Iran media
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens in Iran's northwestern Tabriz city and its surroundings, the provincial governor told Iranian news agency ISNA.
"At least eight people... were killed following the attacks of the Zionist regime," said Majid Farshi, governor of East Azerbaijan province, of which Tabriz is the capital.
The Israeli military said it had so far struck more than 200 targets across Iran since it began a wave of air strikes on the Islamic republic.
"So far we have struck more than 200 targets and we are continuing to strike," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told journalists.
In the meantime, Israel's national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said it was "impossible" to destroy Iran's nuclear programme using only force, after Israel launched a wave of strikes on the Islamic republic.
"It is impossible to destroy the nuclear programme with force alone. The goal is to make the Iranians understand that they will have to stop the nuclear programme," Hanegbi said on Israel's Channel 12.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran will make Israel "regret" its deadly attack.
"The Iranian nation and the country's officials will not remain silent in the face of this crime, and the legitimate and powerful response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will make the enemy regret its foolish act," Pezeshkian said in a video statement aired on state TV.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a "bitter and painful" fate over the attacks.
Israel's military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said that Israel intercepted "most" drones launched from Iran in response to air strikes on military and nuclear sites.
"Earlier, we alerted about a large-scale drone launch targeting our territory. Most of the targets were intercepted", Defrin said during a press briefing after the army said Iran had launched about 100 drones towards Israel.
The Israeli military said before that Iran launched 100 drones towards Israel in response and that its air defenses were intercepting them outside Israeli territory.
U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News he had advance notice of the Israeli strikes which Israel's military said involved 200 fighter jets. Trump also stressed that Tehran "cannot have a nuclear bomb".
The United States underlined that it was not involved in the Israeli action and warned Tehran not to attack its personnel or interests.
But Tehran said the United States would be "responsible for consequences" as Israel's operation "cannot have been carried out without the coordination and permission of the United States".
Netanyahu said Israel struck at the "heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme", taking aim at the atomic facility in Natanz and nuclear scientists.
The strikes would "continue as many days as it takes", the Israeli leader said, adding later that the initial wave of strikes were "very successful".
The Israeli military said its intelligence gathering showed Iran was approaching the "point of no return" on its nuclear programme.
The strikes killed Iran's highest-ranking military officer, armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, and the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, Iranian media reported.
State media said residential buildings in Tehran were hit as well, killing a number of civilians including women and children.
Tasnim news agency said six nuclear scientists killed in the attacks.
Israel's military on Friday said it destroyed dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran in a wave of air strikes.
"In recent hours, Air Force fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence from the Intelligence Directorate, completed an extensive strike against the Iranian regime's air defense system in western Iran," a military statement said.
"As part of the strikes, dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers were destroyed."
Iran's armed forces said Friday there were "no limits" on their response to Israel after its deadly strikes on multiple cities.
"Now that the terrorist regime occupying Al-Quds (Jerusalem) has crossed all red lines... (there are) no limits in responding to this crime," the armed forces general staff said in a statement.
Israel's defense ministry said Friday that Israeli air strikes across Iran had "neutralised" most of the senior leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Air Force.
"The defense minister was informed that most of the Revolutionary Guard Air Force leadership was neutralised while convening at their underground headquarters," the ministry said in a statement.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed that its aerospace commander had been killed with fellow officers in an Israeli air strike on their command centre on Friday.
"Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps aerospace force Major General Amirali Hajizadeh... along with a group of brave and dedicated fighters of this force, were martyred" in an Israeli attack on their command centre, the Guards said in a statement.
Flights suspended
Air traffic was halted at Tehran's main gateway, Imam Khomeini International Airport, while Iraq and Jordan also closed their airspace and suspended flights.
Israel declared a state of emergency and closed its airspace, with defense Minister Israel Katz saying Israel was braced for Iran's expected retaliation.
"Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future," Katz said.
An Israeli military official said the army believed Iran had the ability to strike Israel "any minute".
Oil prices surged 12 percent while stocks sank on the Israeli strikes, which came after Trump's warning of a "massive conflict" in the region.
Trump had also said the United States was drawing down staff in the Middle East, after Iran threatened to target U.S. military bases in the region if conflict breaks out.
Trump said he believed a "pretty good" deal on Iran's nuclear programme was "fairly close", but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.
The U.S. leader did not disclose the details of a conversation on Monday with Netanyahu, but said: "I don't want them going in, because I think it would blow it."
Trump quickly added: "Might help it actually, but it also could blow it."
Iraq filed a complaint on Friday with the United Nations Security Council over Israel's "violation of Iraqi airspace" in a major attack on Iran, Baghdad's foreign ministry said.
"These practices constitute a flagrant violation of Iraq's sovereignty," the ministry said, calling on "the Security Council to assume its responsibilities" and act to "prevent the recurrence of such violations".
'Within reach'
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran not respond to Israeli strikes by hitting U.S. bases, saying Washington was not involved.
"Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel," Rubio said in a statement.
Prior to Friday's attack, Iran had threatened to hit U.S. bases in the Middle East if conflict were to erupt.
With the violence raising questions on whether a sixth round of talks planned between the U.S. and Iran will still take place on Sunday in Oman, Trump said however that Washington is still "hoping to get back to the negotiating table".
Confirming Natanz among targets, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said it was "closely monitoring" the situation.
"The agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country," International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said.
'Extremist'
Israel, which counts on U.S. military and diplomatic support, sees Iran as an existential threat.
Netanyahu has vowed less restraint since the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Tehran-backed Hamas, which triggered the massive Israeli offensive in Gaza.
Since the Hamas attack, Iran and Israel have traded direct attacks for the first time.
Aside from Hamas, Israel is also battling Iranian proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Huthis in Yemen.
The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has repeatedly denied.
Israel again called for global action after the IAEA accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations.
Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as "extremist".
In response, Iran said it would launch a new enrichment centre in a secure location.
"The world now better understands Iran's insistence on the right to enrichment, nuclear technology, and missile power," the Iranian government said following the strikes.
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close, though still short, of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead.
