Israel launches new wave of airstrikes on Iran

Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital, Tehran, early on Wednesday. The Israelis earlier warned they could strike a neighborhood south of Mehrabad International Airport, which includes residential buildings, military installations, pharmaceutical companies and industrial firms.

The attacks come just a day after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran's residents to evacuate and demanded the country’s unconditional surrender.

Israel has yet to successfully target Iran's Fordo facility, which lies deep within a mountainside. Hitting Fordo would require the US to get involved militarily and deploy B-2 stealth bombers to drop its bunker-busting bomb. The 14,000 kg GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets.

Israel announced a new wave of strikes on Tuesday evening as explosions and anti-aircraft fire boomed throughout Tehran, shaking buildings. The Israeli military said its warplanes had targeted 12 missile launch sites and storage facilities.

Israel's military warned the population to stay close to shelters as Iran fired a new barrage of missiles, but officials said most were intercepted.

Sirens sounded in southern Israel, including in the desert town of Dimona, the heart of Israel's never-acknowledged nuclear arms program.

Early on Tuesday, downtown Tehran saw a significant decrease in activity, with numerous shops closed, including the historic Grand Bazaar, which typically shuts its doors only during periods of crisis, such as the 2022 anti-government protests and the coronavirus pandemic.

Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million residents, roughly equivalent to Israel's entire population.

Iran asserts that its nuclear program is peaceful, while the United States and other nations have determined that Tehran has not engaged in a systematic effort to develop a nuclear weapon since 2003.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities have delayed the nation's nuclear program by a "very, very long time”,

Israel has yet to successfully target Iran's Fordo facility, which lies deep within a mountainside. Hitting Fordo would require the US to get involved militarily and deploy B-2 stealth bombers to drop its bunker-busting bomb. The 14,000 kg GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets.

 

Haniyeh killed by short range projectile

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed with a "short-range projectile" fired from outside his guesthouse in Tehran, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reports Saudi Gazette.

The paramilitary organization said the projectile weighed about 7kg (16lbs) and caused a "strong blast," killing Haniyeh and his bodyguard last Wednesday. Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend inauguration of President Massoud Pezeshkian.

The IRGC accused Israel, with US support, of designing and implementing the operation. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh's death.

Western media reports suggest that explosives were planted in the guesthouse by Israeli operatives, conflicting with the IRGC's account. The incident has embarrassed Iran and the IRGC, especially given the intense security on the day of the attack.

Dozens of IRGC officers have been arrested or dismissed since Haniyeh's death, according to the New York Times.

The IRGC's intelligence agency has taken over the investigation, interrogating staff members at Haniyeh's guesthouse and seizing their electronics.

In response to the security breach, the security details of Iranian politicians have been overhauled.

The IRGC's statement followed a report by Britain's Daily Telegraph that Haniyeh was killed by bombs planted in his room by agents of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

The New York Times also reported that Haniyeh was killed by explosives, potentially planted up to two months earlier. Hamas officials noted that Haniyeh had stayed at the guesthouse before and had made numerous visits to Iran since becoming the head of the political bureau in 2017.

If true, these reports would indicate a significant failure for the IRGC, highlighting Mossad's ability to operate within Iran.

Both Iran and Hamas have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh's death. The IRGC promised "severe punishment" for Israel at an appropriate time, while Hezbollah has also vowed reprisals after one of their commanders was killed in an Israeli strike.

The situation has escalated regional tensions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning Israelis of challenging days ahead and preparing for any scenario.

The US has deployed additional warships and fighter jets to the Middle East to help defend Israel from potential attacks by Iran.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned of a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground.

Israeli officials, including the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet, are in Cairo for ceasefire talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.

US President Joe Biden acknowledged that Haniyeh's death had damaged the ceasefire negotiations. The conflict, which began in October 2023, has resulted in significant casualties.