The death toll grew Sunday as Israel and Iran exchanged missile attacks for a third consecutive day, with Israel warning that worse is to come.
Israel targeted Iran's Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran's nuclear program, while Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses and slammed into buildings deep inside Israel. Late into the night saw reports of Haifa being hit severly.
The confirmed death toll from Iranian strikes on Israel has risen to 14, Israel’s Government Press Office said Sunday. The country’s main international airport and airspace remained closed for a third day. There was no update to an officiaI Iranian death toll released the day before by Iran’s U.N. ambassador, who said 78 people had been killed and more than 320 wounded.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that President Donald Trump recently blocked an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, two U.S. officials reportedly told Reuters on Sunday.
“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership," said one of the officials, described as a senior U.S. administration source.
More details have emerged about this afternoon’s Israeli strikes on Tehran, with CNN reporting that densely populated residential areas of the Iranian capital were among the targets.
According to a CNN report, the strikes hit three major intersections in the city: Tajrish and Quds Square, Shariati Avenue, and Valiasr Square — all bustling commercial zones in northern Tehran. Tajrish is home to a prominent shopping complex, while Valiasr Street is considered one of the city’s main commercial arteries.
CNN also said a strike in Quds Square landed just 50 metres from Shohada Hospital, a major healthcare facility. Verified video footage circulating on social media and geolocated by CNN showed smoke rising near Valiasr Street, as well as an injured individual being stretchered into an emergency vehicle.
Other images showed broken windows and smoke rising near Iran’s Ministry of Justice building.
While the Israeli military has said it was targeting military and nuclear sites in Iran, the report noted that no known such facilities exist in the specific areas hit in this round of strikes.
Missile strike hits residential building in Haifa amid fresh Iranian launches
A residential building in the northern Israeli city of Haifa was directly hit Sunday amid a new wave of missile launches from Iran, according to Israel’s emergency services.
The Israeli search and rescue organisation ZAKA confirmed the strike.
Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services also confirmed receiving reports of a strike on a residential structure in the Coastal District. Firefighting crews were dispatched to the location to assess the damage and begin rescue operations.
The Israeli military has detected more missiles and has urged Israeli citizens to head to protective shelters.
Two people were taken to hospital with “minor shrapnel injuries," emergency services said.
At least five killed in Israeli strike on central Tehran residential building, says Iranian state TV
An Israeli strike hit a residential building in downtown Tehran on Sunday, killing at least five people, Iranian state television reported.
The broadcaster warned that the death toll could rise as the strike occurred in a densely populated area near the communications ministry in the heart of the capital.
An AFP journalist at the scene reported that two powerful explosions rocked the area within minutes of each other, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky. Crowds of people reportedly rushed to the site following the blasts.
Israel strikes Mashhad Airport in east Iran, its longest-range target yet
Israel has said it carried out a long-range strike on a refuelling aircraft at Mashhad Airport in eastern Iran, marking its furthest attack since the beginning of its ongoing military operation — approximately 2,300km (1,429 miles) from Israeli territory.
At least 406 people have been killed and 654 others wounded in Israeli strikes across Iran, according to figures released on Sunday by the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.
The group, which also reported casualty numbers during Iran’s 2022 anti-government protests, said the toll covers the entirety of Iran. It crosschecks local reports with a network of sources inside the country.
According to its current breakdown, the dead include at least 197 civilians, 90 military personnel, and 119 others yet to be identified. Among the wounded are 100 civilians, 71 troops, and 483 individuals whose identities remain unconfirmed.
The Iranian government has not provided an overall casualty figure. While various officials have acknowledged individual losses, no consolidated national toll has been released.
Pakistan denies report it plans to send ballistic missiles to Iran
A senior official from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has denied Iranian media reports claiming that Islamabad is planning to supply Iran with around 750 non-nuclear ballistic missiles to support its ongoing campaign against Israel, the Associated Press reported.
The official, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly, rejected the claims and provided no further comment on the matter.
There has been no official response from Pakistan’s military regarding the reports.
Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation, does not disclose specifics about its missile stockpiles. However, it frequently conducts test launches of short-, medium-, and long-range missiles, primarily as a strategic measure in response to India.
Iran braces for more attacks as public shelters set up amid ongoing Israeli strikes
Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that the Iranian government has announced that metro stations, mosques, and schools would be made available as shelters. However, many of these facilities do not appear structurally safe enough to house civilians during ongoing bombardments.
Authorities are reportedly continuing preparations while citizens await further official instructions on safety measures.
Iran claims it shot down 44 Israeli drones, quadcopters near border
Iranian border units have intercepted and shot down 44 drones and quadcopters attempting to enter the country's airspace over the past 48 hours, according to a statement by border guard commander Ahmad Ali Goudarzi. The remarks were reported by the state-run IRNA news agency.
Russia halts Tehran consulate services, evacuates citizens amid Iran-Israel conflict
Russia on Sunday said it had evacuated several citizens from Iran and suspended consular operations in Tehran following Israeli strikes and retaliatory missile fire.
Its civil aviation authority ordered airlines to avoid the airspace of Iran, Israel, Jordan and Iraq until at least June 26.
Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova said members of the Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra and a film crew led by Fyodor Bondarchuk had left Iran via Azerbaijan.
President Vladimir Putin condemned Israel’s strikes and warned of a “dangerous escalation.”
Civilian toll rises in Israel as missile strikes hit multiple cities
At least six people, including two children aged 9 and 10, were killed when a missile struck an apartment building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, as the death toll from Iranian strikes on Israel continued to climb. Daniel Hadad, a local police commander, said 180 people were injured and seven remained missing.
According to the Associated Press, widespread damage was visible across affected areas, with bombed-out cars, shattered windows, and residents seen evacuating with their belongings.
In northern Israel’s Arab town of Tamra, four people, including a 13-year-old, were killed and 24 others wounded in a separate strike. Another missile hit the central city of Rehovot, injuring 42 people.
The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot confirmed that several buildings on its campus had been damaged, though no casualties were reported. In Haifa, an oil refinery was also hit, but the operating firm said there were no injuries.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Sunday that five of the victims in Bat Yam were it's citizens.
In a statement citing preliminary information from the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel, the ministry said: “As a result of a massive Iranian missile attack against Israel, and a missile hitting a residential building in Bat Yam, five Ukrainian citizens, including three minor children, were killed.”
Israeli drone strike hits Tehran police headquarters, says Iranian media
An Israeli drone strike hit the Tehran police headquarters on Sunday, Iranian media reported, citing a statement from local authorities.
According to the ISNA news agency, the Greater Tehran Police Command building in the city centre was struck, causing "minor damage" and injuring "a number" of police personnel. The report, which was also carried by Agence France-Presse, marks one of the few confirmed hits on major law enforcement infrastructure in the Iranian capital amid the ongoing conflict.
'I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s ok': Trump says Iran-Israel peace deal ‘will happen’
Amid the ongoing military confrontation between Iran and Israel, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the two nations “should make a deal, and will make a deal,” and referenced his previous efforts to de-escalate international conflicts using trade and diplomacy.
Trump, in his Truth Social post, said, “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using trade with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and "stop!”
Trump told ABC News on Sunday that the United States "could get involved" in the escalating Iran-Israel conflict and would be “open” to Russian President Vladimir Putin acting as a mediator.
In an off-camera interview with correspondent Rachel Scott, Trump said Washington was “not at this moment” militarily involved but confirmed that talks with Tehran over its nuclear programme were continuing. “They’d like to make a deal,” he said, adding that the ongoing conflict “may have forced a deal to go quicker.”
Trump also said Putin had called him to discuss mediation efforts and that they had a “long talk” about the issue.
Adani’s Haifa port unharmed in Iranian missile strike
The Haifa port operated by Gautam Adani’s conglomerate in Israel was not affected by Iran’s ballistic missile strike, the Adani Group confirmed. Cargo operations at the facility continued without disruption.
The attack late Saturday night targeted the Haifa region and a nearby oil refinery.
Jugeshinder "Robbie" Singh, CFO of the Adani Group, said the port remained unharmed.
Adani Ports holds a 70 per cent stake in Haifa port, which handles more than 30 per cent of Israel’s imports and serves as a key maritime gateway.
While reports suggested possible damage to a major oil refinery near the port, there was no official confirmation regarding the extent of the impact.
Strikes in both countries persisted throughout the day, as the death rose following Israel's large-scale attacks on Friday aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, sparking retaliation.
The intensity of the exchanges between the two adversaries has reached new heights, fuelling concerns of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East, even as world leaders call for restraint and a halt to the violence.
(With inputs from AFP, AP)
