Iran carried out retaliatory missile attacks on Israel into Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals and injuring dozens more, following a series of intense Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear program and military forces.
In its assault, Israel utilized warplanes along with drones that had been smuggled into Iran beforehand to target critical sites and eliminate high-ranking generals and scientists. Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. reported that 78 individuals lost their lives, and over 320 were injured in the attacks.
Israel claimed the attack was essential to prevent Iran from progressing any closer to developing an atomic weapon, despite expert opinions and the U.S. government’s evaluation that Iran was not actively pursuing such a weapon before the strikes. This development also disrupted ongoing discussions between the United States and Iran regarding an atomic agreement, just days ahead of a planned meeting on Sunday.
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Here’s the latest:
Iran’s Foreign Ministry calls nuclear talks with US ‘meaningless’ after Israeli strikes
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman on Saturday called further nuclear talks with the United States “meaningless” after Israeli strikes on the country, state television said.
The comments by Esmail Baghaei further threw possible talks between the two nations, initially scheduled to take place Sunday in Oman, into doubt.
“The U.S. did a job that made the talks become meaningless,” Baghaei was quoted as saying. He added that Israel has passed all Iran’s red lines by committing a “criminal act” through its strikes.
However, he stopped short of saying the talks were cancelled. The Mizan news agency, which is run by Iran’s judiciary, quoted him as saying: “It is still not clear what we decide about Sunday talks.”
Jordan will reopen its airspace to civilian aircraft
Jordan will reopen its airspace to civilian aircraft on Saturday morning, its state-run media reported, signaling the Mideast kingdom believes there is no immediate danger of further attacks.
Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency said the skies would reopen at 7:30 a.m. local time.
Jordan’s airspace had seen Iranian drones and missiles cross through it, with Israeli fighter jets likely engaging targets there.
The crossfire between Israel and Iran disrupted East-West travel through the Mideast, a key global aviation route.
Woman dies in missile strike in Tel Aviv, hospital says
A spokesperson for Beilinson Hospital in Tel Aviv said a woman was killed in an Iranian missile strike, bringing the total number of fatalities in the barrages from Iran to three.
The hospital also treated seven people who were wounded in the strike early Saturday. Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services said a projectile hit a building in the city.
Israel’s paramedic service says 2 people killed when missile hit central Israel
Israel’s paramedic service Magen David Adom says an Iranian missile struck near homes in central Israel early Saturday morning, killing two people and injuring 19 others. Israel’s Fire and Rescue service said four homes were severely damaged.
UN chief calls for escalation to stop, saying ‘peace and diplomacy must prevail’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Iran to halt their attacks on one another, while calling for diplomacy.
“Israeli bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian missile strikes in Tel Aviv. Enough escalation. Time to stop. Peace and diplomacy must prevail,” Guterres wrote on X on Saturday.
Iranian media reports a fire at Tehran’s airport
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting a fire at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, posting a video on X of a column of smoke and orange flames rising from what the outlet said was the airport.
A handful of minor injuries reported from second wave of Iranian missiles
Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv said it has treated seven people hurt by the second Iranian barrage; six had light injuries and the seventh was moderately wounded.
Iran fires a second wave of missiles at Israel
Sirens and the boom of explosions, possibly from Israeli interceptors, could be heard in the sky over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv early Saturday.
AP journalists in Tel Aviv could see what appeared to be at least two Iranian missiles hit the ground, but there was no immediate word of casualties.
The Israeli military said another long-range Iranian missile attack was taking place and urged civilians, already rattled by the first wave of projectiles, to head to shelter. Around three dozen people were wounded by that first wave.
The Iranian outlet Nour News, which has close links with the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said a fresh wave was being launched.
Iranian air defenses are firing against Israeli attacks
The sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets was echoing across the center of the capital, Tehran, shortly after midnight on Saturday.
Additionally, an Associated Press reporter could hear air raid sirens near their home.
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