Airstrikes between Israel and Iran continue

The conflict between Israel and Iran shows no sign of de-escalation, even though, according to the Israeli press, the Tel Aviv authorities declared yesterday that they are not seeking to overthrow the political regime in Tehran, but only to disarm the nuclear and ballistic capabilities of their opponents. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News that it is possible that following the Israeli strikes, the citizens of Iran are dissatisfied with the leaders in Tehran and will try to change them.

In the early hours of yesterday, Iran launched a new massive wave of missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory, while Israel responded forcefully on strategic Iranian targets, including nuclear facilities.

Iran targeted key cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa, Bat Yam and Jerusalem. According to the Israeli authorities, at least 8 people were killed and over 100 injured, some of them in critical condition. Significant damage was reported at a power plant in the port of Haifa, and the US Embassy in Tel Aviv suffered minor damage.

According to information provided by the IDF and reported by the media, Israel intercepted between 80% and 90% of the rockets, with the help of Iron Dome systems and American support (including Patriot and THAAD batteries positioned in the region). The Iranian fire was the most intense since the beginning of the escalation, and IDF officials confirmed that the air defenses were "under maximum pressure".

In response, Israel continued to bomb targets in Iran, including certain locations near the capital Tehran, hitting research infrastructure and refueling aircraft, as well as drone production facilities and more than 20 command centers belonging to the Revolutionary Guards and the Quds Force.

According to NBC News, IDF spokeswoman Effie Defrien said the Israeli military had achieved "full air superiority” over Tehran.

Regarding Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, said the agency "will not stand idly by” while an open conflict is taking place in the region that threatens nuclear safety, according to CNN. "We can and will act within our legal mandate to help prevent a nuclear accident that could have unpredictable radiological consequences,” Grossi said, according to the source cited.

This is the second time in the past three years that two IAEA member states have been involved in a conflict in which nuclear facilities have been attacked, Grossi said, the first being the war between Russia and Ukraine.

We note that at the close of the edition, the Israeli army issued a warning to Iranian citizens in the northern area of the capital Tehran, asking them to leave the area that was to be bombed last night by the IDF air force.

• US military mobilization in the Indian Ocean

To come to the aid of its ally in the Middle East, the US redirected, in an unprecedented move, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz from the South China Sea to the western Indian Ocean, canceling a stopover in Vietnam. Reuters confirmed that this move was motivated by "urgent operational needs" related to the situation in the Middle East.

In parallel, two US destroyers were strategically positioned in the eastern and southern Mediterranean, for the purpose of deterrence and military support for Israel. The US interception systems already present in the region have played a crucial role in Israel's defense in recent days.

However, US officials have reiterated statements in recent days that the US is not an active party to the conflict, but remains ready to defend American interests and those of its allies. Political sources told US media that the White House Administration has informed Israel that its support has a limit: it does not accept the expansion of the conflict to Iran's political leaders or to a full-scale invasion.

The UN, the European Union and the G7 have issued calls for "maximum restraint" from the two warring states, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that "the region is on the brink of catastrophe".

Russia, China and Turkey yesterday reiterated their condemnations of the escalation of the conflict and called for immediate diplomatic negotiations. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have begun mediation efforts, acting as intermediaries between Israel and Iran.

Inside Iran, the regime has officially acknowledged the loss of over 200 military and civilian personnel, including in nuclear research centers. However, NGOs estimate the real toll to be double that, around 400-500 victims. The Iranian press is sending a message of "resistance" and preparations for new reprisals against Israel.

The military escalation appears to have strengthened the domestic position of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is enjoying a consolidation of popular and political support. International critics, however, warn that the offensive against Iran may be an attempt to restore Israel's image damaged by the Gaza campaign, without having a clear exit strategy.