Ali Khamenei Targeted as Israel Attacks Iran's Arak Reactor
As the conflict escalates, the international community is bracing for a potential widening of the conflict, with the US considering direct involvement. The situation remains volatile, with both sides suffering significant losses and the potential for further escalation looming large.
Iranian state television reports that Israel has attacked the Arak heavy water reactor, with no radiation danger, while Iranian missiles have hit a major hospital in southern Israel, wounding over 200 people and causing extensive damage.
The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in significant casualties, with over 657 deaths and 2,037 injuries reported in Iran, according to a human rights group. Israel has also launched airstrikes on Gaza, killing 19 people, including three children and five women, and injuring 70 others. The Israeli Defense Minister has threatened Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist."
The US is considering joining Israel's campaign against Iran's military and nuclear program, with President Donald Trump saying he will decide within two weeks whether to strike Iran. The conflict has also led to a major telecommunications outage in central and south Gaza, with the UN saying efforts to repair a damaged fiber-optic cable are being hindered. Israel's Soroka hospital in Beersheba was hit by an Iranian missile, injuring 271 people, as the conflict between the two nations entered its seventh day.
The UN's high commissioner has called for maximum restraint and respect for international law, while human rights groups warn of a spiralling escalation. The conflict has killed at least 24 people in Israel and 639 in Iran, with the international community watching closely as the situation continues to unfold.