UNITED States President Donald Trump has urged Iranians to evacuate Tehran, citing the Iranian government’s refusal to accept a deal aimed at limiting its nuclear weapons programme, as clashes between Israel and Iran entered a fifth day.
The ICIR reported that Israel’s military targeted Iran’s nuclear and military sites through airstrikes on Friday, June 13.
President Trump departed the G7 summit early on Monday, citing the escalating Middle East crisis, but denied that his exit was related to any efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. His remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron claimed the US had proposed a truce.
“Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a ceasefire. Much bigger than that,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late Monday.
Earlier in the day, Trump reiterated his hardline stance on Iran, urging the country’s residents to evacuate Tehran and criticising its leadership for rejecting a nuclear agreement with the US.
“Simply stated, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” he posted.
Meanwhile, world leaders gathered at the G7 summit in Canada called for an immediate de-escalation of what they described as the most serious conflict yet between the two regional rivals. The leaders condemned Iran as a destabilising force and reiterated that it must never acquire nuclear weapons, while affirming Israel’s right to self-defence.
An Israeli strike on the central Iranian city of Kashan killed three people and injured four others, Iran’s Nournews reported on Tuesday.
In Israel, air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight and again early Tuesday morning, followed by several loud explosions over the city. Reuters witnesses also reported hearing blasts over Jerusalem and Herzliya, where a building was reportedly damaged.
Iranian officials said the conflict has claimed 224 lives so far, mostly civilians. Israel, in turn, reported 24 civilian deaths. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that nearly 3,000 Israelis had been evacuated due to damage caused by Iranian strikes.
The ICIR reported that at least eight people were killed and 100 others injured in Tel Aviv. The port city of Haifa was attacked during a series of retaliatory attacks by Iran, launched in response to Israeli strikes on its nuclear and ballistic missile programme.
Officials said the attack occurred before dawn on Monday, June 16, destroying several homes.
Emergency services said search and rescue operations were ongoing in Haifa, where around 30 people were injured, as dozens of first responders rushed to the impacted areas.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.