Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened by the Israeli Defense Minister with the fate of Saddam Hussein

The conflict between Israel and Iran seems far from the moment of de-escalation, if we take into account the message sent yesterday by Israel Katz, the Defense Minister from Tel Aviv to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel, Katz said, addressing the spiritual leader of Iran: "Be careful not to end up like Saddam Hussein!”. We recall that the former dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, was killed by his own people after a long period of flight and hiding after the American forces overthrew his political regime. Minister Israel Katz announced future major strikes on Tehran, targeting more than ten nuclear sites

Israel Katz's statements came after the G7 leaders meeting in Canada issued a joint statement affirming Israel's right to self-defense in the face of Iranian attacks. The G7 statement emphasizes that Iran is the main source of regional instability and terror and that it should not be allowed access to nuclear weapons. In parallel, Donald Trump rejected the idea of a truce with Iran and stated that he seeks a "real end” to the Iranian nuclear program. Moreover, the US president called for the evacuation of Tehran, as a measure to protect civilians. He emphasized that Iran missed the chance for an agreement that could have saved lives, and later, in a post on Truth Social, he reaffirmed that the authorities in Tehran did not seek him out to initiate peace talks and that, if they wanted to, they knew how to find the leader in Washington. President Trump's claims regarding the Iranian nuclear program come after CENTCOM warned on June 10 that Iran is "weeks away” from creating nuclear weapons, according to an article published yesterday by the Jerusalem Post. According to the cited source, CENTCOM commander General Erik Kurilla warned on June 10 that Iran was "just a few steps away" from reaching military-grade uranium, as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an agency that considers military-grade uranium to be 90% enriched, and Iran had reached 60% enrichment, double what it had been six months ago.

In this tense climate, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the deployment of additional forces to the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, to strengthen the US defensive position.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep concern about the escalation of the conflict, and King Abdullah II of Jordan warned that the effects of the war go beyond the borders involved. At the same time, Russia, through Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, stated that Israel did not expressed interest in mediation and urged both sides to show "maximum restraint.”

"The situation continues to deteriorate rapidly. The level of unpredictability is absolute,” Dmitry Peskov said.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that his country would not react with nuclear force if Iran were to attack in this way. "Pakistan's nuclear deterrence capabilities are for its own security and stability,” Ishaq Dar told the Islamabad press, quoted by Al Jazeera.

In this context, the international press reported that yesterday, in Tehran, thousands of residents left the city in a hurry, crowding shops and gas stations, while the atmosphere remains tense, although calm on the surface. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that the underground facilities of the Natanz nuclear site were directly hit by Israel.

"Based on the ongoing analysis of high-resolution satellite images collected after Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements indicating direct impacts on the underground enrichment facilities at Natanz,” the International Atomic Energy Agency posted on its official X-network page.

The IDF said the offensive would continue until the complete elimination of Iranian nuclear and ballistic threats. General Oded Basiuk said the Tehran regime and its infrastructure were specifically targeted, not the civilian population, and that more than 200 missile launchers had already been destroyed. Israel maintains air superiority over western Iran, although flights remain risky. The IDF also said the damage to Iran's nuclear program was significant, but a full assessment would be presented later.

Amid these actions, Iran has banned Tehran officials from using internet-connected devices, fearing that they could be used by Israel for espionage. In addition, the Fars News Agency reported a cyberattack on the Bank of Sepah, which severely disrupted services banking and fuel supply system in Iran. This bank, which is owned by the Revolutionary Guards, is associated with financing Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The attack was claimed by the anti-regime group Gonjeshke Darande (The Predatory Sparrow), which sent the following message: "Bank Sepah was an institution that evaded international sanctions and used the Iranian people's money to finance the regime's terrorists, its ballistic missile program, and its military nuclear program. This is what happens to institutions dedicated to maintaining the dictator's terrorist fantasies. We thank the brave Iranians whose help made this operation possible."

According to NBC News, financial rating agencies S&P and Fitch have drawn attention to the economic risks of a prolonged conflict between Israel and Iran. S&P warns that escalation could lead to a further downgrade of Israel's rating, while Fitch assumes that the fighting will remain limited and will not affect the Israeli economy in the short term. However, both institutions emphasize that uncertainty regarding the duration and scope of the conflict remains a critical factor for regional and global economic stability.