Israel launches third wave of strikes, Iran responds with ballistic missiles

Israel continues to launch devastating airstrikes on Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities appear paralyzed, according to observers. Israel has already carried out a second wave of large-scale attacks, reportedly inflicting significant losses. The Iranian side has yet to recover from the initial assault. According to media reports, the second wave targeted the cities of Tabriz, Hamadan, Kermanshah, and Khorramabad. The Natanz nuclear facility, previously struck, was hit again. Additional targets included the IRGC missile site in Shiraz, military bases in Kermanshah, airfields across the country, and uranium enrichment sites. Despite the escalating conflict, Iran has not mounted a meaningful response. Instead, authorities have taken to social media, issuing statements such as “Iran’s response will be powerful and legitimate,” “Israel will regret its actions,” and “we are ready for war.”

Reports of Tehran launching hundreds of drones in retaliation remain unverified. Iranian media, citing national security sources, have not confirmed the counterstrikes. However, the official website of the Iranian armed forces reported that over 800 drones were en route to Israel. Social media posts claim air raid sirens were heard across various regions of Israel and in the Jordanian capital. Given Tehran’s apparent inaction, further Israeli strikes on Iran’s infrastructure seem imminent.

The number of casualties continues to rise. Among the dead is Lieutenant General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike. According to updated reports, his daughter Farishta Bagheri, a journalist at Defa Press, also died in the attacks. In total, Israel is said to have eliminated about 20 senior Iranian military commanders within 24 hours. At least 78 people have been reported dead, while the Iranian Red Crescent Society states that more than 95 individuals were injured in 12 provinces.

In response, Iran has appointed new military leadership. Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi has been named Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, while Mohammad Pakpour has taken over as Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. General Ali Shadmani has been confirmed as the new head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Emergency Situations Command.

Public outrage in Iran as explosions rock Tel Aviv

Mass protests have erupted in Tehran and other Iranian cities, with demonstrators demanding immediate military action against Israel. Crowds have gathered in the streets, calling for retaliation in response to Israel's airstrikes on civilian areas and nuclear sites. The Iranian parliament has announced an emergency session of its National Security and Foreign Policy Committee to discuss the situation. According to committee member Ebrahim Rezaei, Iran is preparing a large-scale counteroffensive. However, during a meeting at the underground headquarters of the Israeli Defense Ministry, officials questioned Iran’s capability to retaliate, citing the significant losses sustained by the Iranian air force leadership. In the midst of these developments, Israel launched a third wave of attacks, this time directly targeting Tehran. Shortly afterward, social media was flooded with footage of ballistic missiles being launched from Iran toward Israel. The retaliatory strikes targeted Tel Aviv, where air raid sirens are currently sounding. Several hypersonic missiles reportedly reached their targets. Despite Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, it was unable to intercept all incoming missiles. Approximately 150 projectiles were launched by Iran in response. As with the earlier attacks on Tehran, thick plumes of smoke are now rising over Tel Aviv. No official data on casualties from the latest strikes has yet been released.

“Israel will not stop”

Israel continues to target Iranian infrastructure as tensions escalate. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the Israeli public to prepare for a potentially prolonged war. He stated that Israel is prepared to fight Iran for as long as necessary to preserve its security and stability. According to "The Wall Street Journal", Israel's military operation against Iran is expected to last two weeks. A senior Israeli official told the outlet that the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities are still ongoing and that the full scope of the operation was planned for a 14-day period. The report noted that this timeline aligns with analysts' assessments, many of whom have argued that a one-day strike would not be sufficient to seriously degrade Iran's nuclear program due to the geographic dispersion of its facilities. Israel appears to be employing a strategy similar to the one used in Lebanon in late 2024. At that time, the Israeli military targeted Hezbollah’s weapons stockpiles and infrastructure, eliminating key members of the Iranian-backed group. The anonymous Israeli official suggested that the current campaign against Iran could conclude in a comparable manner. Developments on the ground suggest that the conflict may prove highly damaging for the Iranian leadership. The ruling clerical regime, supported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other military bodies, has suffered major setbacks.

German newspaper "Bild" reported that the Iranian military was rendered “blind, deaf, and mute” during the Israeli assault. According to the report, around 200 Israeli aircraft—including F-35s, F-16s, and F-15s—struck approximately 100 targets across Iran, without losing a single aircraft. Israeli bombers reportedly approached within 50 kilometers of their targets to deploy precision-guided munitions. Only one military base was able to respond with air defense, suggesting a complete failure of Iran’s defensive systems. Hundreds of Iranian officers and pilots were allegedly unaware of the attack until it was underway. Analysts believe that Israel deployed extensive cyberattacks and electronic warfare to disable Iran’s radar and communications. Some sources suggest that the Mossad played a central role in facilitating the operation. Several of the attacks appear to have originated from within Iranian territory, leading observers to compare the operation to Ukraine's recent “spider web” mission inside Russia. The precision targeting and killing of high-ranking Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists have reinforced suspicions that Mossad agents are operating deep within Iran. The assassinations, reportedly carried out even inside the victims’ homes and bedrooms, suggest the presence of highly accurate intelligence. This has prompted calls within Iran for a reassessment of the nation’s internal security systems and for a purge of any Israeli infiltrators. Public confidence in Iran’s intelligence services was already shaken last year when Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed during an overnight visit to Tehran. The latest attacks have further exposed critical vulnerabilities in Iran's security and defense infrastructure.

Trump: Iran was given 60 days, today is the 61st

Nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran have stalled once again. The sixth round of talks was scheduled to take place on June 15, but today, Iranian officials indicated that they had withdrawn from the process. Responding to calls from former U.S. President Donald Trump to rejoin the agreements, Iranian representatives declared, “There will be no agreements with murderers.”

Trump, writing on his Truth Social account, stated that Iran had been given 60 days to return to negotiations, and that “today is the 61st day.”

“I have repeatedly given Iran the opportunity to make a deal. I have told them in the strongest terms, ‘Just do it,’ but no matter how hard they try, no matter how close they come, they have not been able to do it. I have warned them that it will be worse than they knew, expected, or were told. The United States produces the best and most destructive military equipment in the world. That is beyond doubt. Israel has many of these weapons and will continue to do so. They know how to use them,” Trump wrote.

Trump also referenced the recent deaths of senior Iranian military officials, possibly alluding to the reported killing of Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Salami had previously warned that Iran would deliver a devastating response if Israel launched attacks against the country.

“Some Iranian radicals spoke out boldly, but they didn’t know what awaited them. Now they’re all dead. This is just the beginning! There’s already been a lot of loss and destruction. But there’s still time to stop this carnage, because the next attacks will be even more brutal,” Trump added.

He emphasized that Tehran must reach an agreement on its nuclear program before it is too late. “It’s not too late,” he said, implying that the window for diplomacy remains open.

Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the son of former Iranian monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has publicly called on Iranians to overthrow the Ayatollah’s regime. Pahlavi, who recently married his daughter to a Jewish businessman, is widely seen as the figurehead of international opposition to the current Iranian government.