Israel Strikes Back as Iran Launches Fresh Attacks

The volatile relationship between Iran and Israel has erupted into open conflict, plunging the Middle East into a crisis unseen in years.

What began as a calculated strike has escalated into days of tit-for-tat missile fire, air raids, and mounting civilian casualties, with both countries now entrenched in a fast-unfolding confrontation.

Here’s how it all unraveled.

13 June 2025

• Israeli strikes on Iran: Early on Friday, Israeli fighter jets struck over a dozen sites inside Iran under the codename Operation Rising Lion. Targets included nuclear research and enrichment facilities (Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan) and Revolutionary Guard missile bases. Iran reported explosions in Tehran and other provinces nd later confirmed that senior military leaders (IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists) had been killed or wounded by the raids (state media cited dozens of dead, mainly civilians) its goal was to “wipe out” Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.
• Initial casualties: Iranian officials put the death toll at over 220 (90% civilians) by this point. Israeli officials initially reported no confirmed military casualties, but within hours Iran began launching its own weapons at Israel.

14 June 2025

• Iranian retaliation: Late on 13 June and into Saturday,14 June, Iran fired back with swarms of ballistic missiles and armed drones toward Israel. Most incoming projectiles were intercepted, but one strike in Tehran triggered the collapse of a 14-story apartment building, killing at least 60 people (half of them children) in the capital that its air defenses had downed Israeli drones near Isfahan, signaling an intense aerial exchange.
• Ongoing strikes: On Saturday,, Israel pressed on with attacks inside Iran, reportedly bombing an underground missile storage facility in western Iran. By evening,, Israel said it had hit the Iranian Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran and other key sites (including research centers) to further degrade Iran’s arms infrastructure infrastructure ical oil and gas installations (e.g.,, Phase 14 of the Southouth Pars field and a refinery) had caught fire under Israeli strikes, disrupting energy output (dozens of oil and gas wells reportedly burned). burned).
• Missile barrages on Israel: Early Sunday, Iran launched renewed heavy missile salvos at Israel’s heartland. Barrages struck multiple cities, tably Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Bat Yam,, and Haifa, th rockets hitting residential districts and landmarks. wikipedia.orgreuters.comor example, an overnight strike shattered apartment buildings in central Tel Aviv (near the U.S. Embassy branch), blowing out windows and igniting fires. At least a en civilians were killed and many dozen more wounded in these attacks (including children). Germany and other Western countries subsequently reinforced security at Jewish community sites, fearing possible Iranian reprisals abroad.
• Israeli counterstrikes: Israel announced it had successfully intercepted the majority of incoming rockets. It warned that more Iranian strikes would be met with “tough” responses. In a pre-dawn video, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s initial strikes were a “12th-hour” act of self-defense to prevent an Iranian nuclear “holocaust and warned Iran to withdraw forces from border. Israel also used this lull to redeploy assets: an Israeli airstrike in the early hours reportedly downed an Iranian fuel tanker plane refueling at Mashhad airport (about 1,400 miles from Israel), one of the furthest operations in IDF.
• Diplomatic moves: The UN Security Council held emergency meetings on 13–14 June. Iran’s UN envoy called Israel’s attack “premeditated aggression,” while Israel’s ambassador framed it as a necessary act of self-defense. Nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran (scheduled in Oman) were suspended. Meanwhile,, Qatar, Oman,, and
• Cyprus engaged in shuttle diplomacy: Qatar condemned Israel’s strikes as violations of international, Oman and Qatar conveyed Iranian requests to the US to press Israel for a ceasefire, and Cyprus said it was relaying a message from Iran to Israel. US President Trump, at a G7 summit in Canada, said he was “hopeful a deal could be done” to end the crisis. Turkish and Gulf leaders also expressed alarm and urged restraint, fearing a wider war.
• Image: Smoke and fires rise over Haifa (northern Israel) after an Iranian missile strike on 15 June 2025. Israel’s emergency services reported strikes on civilian apartments ancommercial areas.

15 June 2025

• Heavy Barrages: Iran launches a second wave of missiles and drones targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa, Bat Yam, Rishon LeZion, and Jerusalem. At least 13–16 Israeli civilians are killed, and 380–390 are injured. Buildings near the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv are damaged.
• Israeli Counterstrikes: Israel claims to have shot down most missiles, retaliates by striking Iranian military sites and a tanker aircraft refueling in Mashhad, signaling expanded reach.
• Diplomatic Responses: The U.S. President vetoes an alleged Israeli plan to target Iran’s supreme leader. Western and regional leaders push for de-escalation, and Iran’s diplomats call for UN action.
• Iranian Exodus: Thousands of Iranians flee Tehran toward northern provinces, overwhelmed by panic and fuel shortages. Internet restrictions worsen public anxiety.

16 June 2025

• e strikes: In the pre-dawn hours of Monday (16 June), Iran launched another volley of ballistic missiles at Israel, with barrages aimed at Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. Israeli radars tracked hundreds of incoming missiles; some slipped through to hit population centers. In Haifa and Tel Aviv, buildings were damaged and some civilians killed. Emergency crews reported dozens wounded and at least 100 people injured nationwide.(By day’s end,, Israel’s official toll stood around 20–25 killed in the Iraniannian strike.) Iran’s Revolutionary Guard boasted a new tactic that confused Israel’s defenses, enabling more warheads to land. In response, Israel later claimed to have achieved “aerial superiority,” destroying a third of Iran’s missile launcher sites and killing four senior IRGC intelligence officers (including the head of the Guard’s intelligence).

• Political aftermath: On 16 June,, Iran’s parliament announced it was preparing legislation to quit the UN nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Iran also arrested suspected Israeli agents. The IRGC named a new commander to replace its slain chief and vowed continued retaliation, while hard-line Iranian figures openly urged closing the Strait of Hormuz (a vital oil chokepoint) as leverage, leverage, arabnews.com.ington, concern over US involvement led lawmakers to act: on 16 June, Senator Tim Kaine introduced a resolution requiring Congressional approval before any US strike on Iran. Likewise, NATO and European allies moved to bolster defenses: the UK deployed jets to the Gulf region, and the US Fifth Fleet was placed on high alert, ready to counter any expansion of the conflict.
• Broader impact: The conflict’s spillover effects rattled global markets and regional security. Oil prices briefly jumped on fears of Gulf supply disruptions, though key export facilities were unharmed. Pakistan and other Muslim-majority countries saw large protests calling for solidarity with Iran and criticism of Israel. The G7 summit remained focused on the crisis, and NATO discussed contingency plans if the war widened. Despite the ferocity of the exchanges, both sides, and some external mediators, expressed a (cautious) willingness to de-escalate. US President Trump reiterated that he had no involvement in Israel’s attacks and warned Iran against targeting American forces. World leaders agreed the next days would be critical to prevent further regional conflagration.

With both nations refusing to back down and fresh strikes occurring almost hourly, the Middle East now faces a level of instability unseen in over a decade. Diplomatic channels remain frozen, and ceasefire negotiations have yet to materialize.

The international community has called for restraint, but both Iran and Israel appear locked into a tit-for-tat cycle with no clear off-ramp. As the conflict expands, the risks of regional spillover grow – and with them, the consequences for the global economy and security landscape.

Whether this latest escalation marks the beginning of a prolonged war or a temporary flashpoint depends on what happens in the coming hours. For now, the skies above Tehran and Tel Aviv remain under threat, and millions brace for what may come next.

Leo Cruz brings sharp insights into the world of politics, offering balanced reporting and analysis on the latest policies, elections, and global political events. With years of experience covering campaigns and interviewing world leaders, Leo ensures readers are always informed and engaged.