Israel told residents in a southwestern area of Tehran to evacuate so its air force could strike Iranian military installations. Thousands of people were fleeing the capital and major cities, with heavy traffic congesting roads and some routes suspended, Iranian media reported.

An Israeli military official said 50 fighter jets struck around 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles.

Trump warned on social media on Wednesday that US patience was wearing thin. While he said there was no intention to kill Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “for now,” his comments suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement.

No further details regarding what was discussed during the call were made public.

Khamenei’s main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process.

Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei’s regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran’s proxies – from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran’s close ally, Syria’s autocratic leader Bashar al-Assad, has been ousted.

Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran’s nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment.