Russia Has Repeatedly Assured Israel Iran Isn’t Building Nuclear Weapons, Says Putin

Israeli media reported that at least three missiles struck locations in Jerusalem and Haifa. The Israeli military confirmed that approximately 25 ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian territory.

Israel’s national emergency service said 16 individuals were injured in the strike on Haifa. Among them, a 16-year-old is in critical condition and a 54-year-old man is in moderate condition, both reportedly wounded by shrapnel. They were transferred to local medical facilities for treatment.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the assault, describing it as the Islamic Republic’s 17th operation against Israel. The IRGC said the attack involved long-range ballistic missiles, combat drones, and suicide drones targeting Israeli infrastructure.

Effie Defrin, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), stated during a daily press briefing on Friday that Israeli forces are conducting operations both underground and in the skies over Iran.

“The coming days will be full of challenges,” Defrin said, noting that airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities are ongoing and that the scope of military operations is expanding.

He emphasised that the destruction of Iran’s missile launch systems is among the key goals of the campaign. “We are acting decisively to remove the existential threat posed by Iran,” he added.

According to Defrin, Israel is currently engaged in military operations on seven different fronts, with Iran at the centre of what the Israeli government views as a regional threat network.

No immediate response has been issued by Iranian officials regarding the latest developments.

“We are being asked to return to diplomacy while we were already in the middle of diplomacy,” Araghchi said, in a pointed response to international calls for de-escalation.

He also condemned Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, urging the United Nations Security Council to uphold and enforce Resolution 487. The Security Council is expected to convene later today.

The Iranian foreign minister argued that the resolution—originally passed in 1981 following Israel’s attack on Iraq’s nuclear facilities—clearly states that any military assault on nuclear infrastructure constitutes an attack on the safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The two-day summit will focus on the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The source added that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to call on Muslim countries to unite against what he described as “destabilising actions” across the region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is also due to address the conference.

Türkiye has strongly condemned Israel’s recent military actions, labelling them illegal, and has defended Iran’s right to respond in self-defence. Ankara has repeatedly urged restraint from all parties while pushing for a coordinated response from the Muslim world.

The ISNA news agency, citing Iranian officials, confirmed that the area near the Khondab facility in Markazi Province was targeted. The report noted that the site had been evacuated prior to the attack and stated that “there is no risk of radiation.”

Earlier in the day, the Israeli military had issued warnings to residents of Arak and Khondab, urging them to evacuate in anticipation of possible strikes.

The Khondab and Arak facilities are central to Iran’s nuclear programme. The Arak heavy water reactor has been a point of international concern due to its potential for producing plutonium, a material that can be used in nuclear weapons.

As of now, Iranian authorities have not reported any casualties or structural damage, and Israel has not officially commented on the strikes.