Summary

Media caption,

Watch: Explosions and damage across Israel as Iran launches fresh air strikes

  1. Iranian media report at least 128 killed and 900 injuredpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 15 June

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad and Sarah Jalali
    BBC Persian and BBC Monitoring

    Iranian media, quoting the health ministry, say 128 Iranians have been killed in Israeli attacks as of midday yesterday, with around 900 injured.

    Some Iranian organisations and outlets have released their own figures. The BBC can't confirm these numbers, as we can't send journalists to the country, and it’s not clear if some of these figures overlap.

    • Iranian state TV reported yesterday that 60 people, including 20 children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a building in Tehran
    • The governor of East Azerbaijan province said 31 people have died there, including 30 military personnel and one member of the Iranian Red Crescent
    • The Iranian Red Crescent said two people were killed in an attack on an ambulance in West Azerbaijan province
    • Iran’s envoy to the UN said two days ago that Israeli strikes had killed 78 people and injured more than 320 at that point
    • Iran’s government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said at least 30 women and children have been killed over the past three days - she didn’t give a total number of deaths
    • Senior military personnel say at least 18 members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have died in various attacks, including the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force on Friday
    • At least seven Iranian nuclear scientists have also been killed in separate attacks
    Smoke rises after an Israeli attack on Tehran Oil RefineryImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Smoke rises after an Israeli attack on Tehran Oil Refinery on 15 June

  2. Israelis allowed to leave shelters – IDFpublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 15 June

    In an update, the Israel Defense Forces now say that Israelis are "permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas across the country".

    This comes after a series of sirens sounded across Israel, as Iran fired a fresh wave of missiles.

    It now seems the sirens have stopped.

    In a statement, the IDF says Israelis are "requested to continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command and the instructions sent to you".

    Israelis take cover beside a highwayImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Israelis take cover beside a highway as sirens sound after a missile attack from Iran on 15 June

  3. Iran state TV says 'retaliatory missiles' fired at Israelpublished at 14:35 British Summer Time 15 June

    Iran's state-owned TV says Iran has launched a new wave of "retaliatory missiles" towards Israel.

    Earlier, we reported that the Israel Defense Forces had warned that Iran had fired missiles towards the country.

    We'll have more updates on this latest strike coming up soon.

  4. Iranian missiles launched toward Israel - IDFpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 15 June
    Breaking

    The Israel Defense Forces says sirens have sounded in several areas across Israel after it identified missiles launched towards the country from Iran.

    The country's Air Force is "operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat," it says.

    It adds that people should continue to follow instructions from the Home Front Command.

  5. Israeli military warns to avoid gatherings and public spacespublished at 14:12 British Summer Time 15 June

    Here's more on the latest alert.

    Israel's Home Front Command has told people across the country to "remain close to protected spaces," according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

    The Home Front Command is a part of the IDF responsible for civil protection.

    "Movement in public areas should be minimised, and public gatherings must be avoided. Upon receiving an alert, enter a protected space and remain there until an official update is issued," the IDF statement says.

  6. Panic as fresh alert issued in Bat Yampublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 15 June
    Breaking

    Ione Wells
    Reporting from Bat Yam

    An alert has just been issued in Bat Yam saying it is required to stay near a protected space.

    It’s not yet the alert telling people they should get into a shelter, but some people are choosing to move now.

    There is a notable sense of panic in the streets here now, people are running and shouting at friends about the alert.

  7. Why it's difficult to report on situation in Iranpublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 15 June

    As a reminder, the BBC can't routinely send journalists to Iran because of restrictions from the Iranian government, which makes it hard to report on damage caused by Israel's offensive.

    This means that we're getting regular updates about the situation after Iranian strikes on Israel, but there's much less information about what's happening after Israeli strikes on Iran.

    There's been some limited coverage on Iranian state TV, but as BBC Monitoring's Sarah Jalali writes, there's little media freedom in Iran and the state is eager to downplay the extent of the damage caused by Israel's strikes.

  8. Analysis

    Pahlavi urges Iranians to rise up - but little evidence of this so farpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 15 June

    Amir Azimi
    Editor, BBC Persian

    Reza Pahlavi

    In his BBC interview, Iran's former crown prince Reza Pahlavi tried to give the watching audience the sense of a plan - beginning with the current war and followed by Iranians rising up against the Islamic Republic, with the West assisting with measures beyond sanctions, although he did not specify how.

    He said toppling the Islamic Republic would remove the cause of many problems in the Middle East and internationally, suggesting to viewers that such an outcome would be in their interests too.

    To give the impression that this was not just talk, he claimed that elements within the Iranian establishment were in touch with him.

    This message resonates with many Western politicians and those around the world who see Iran as an international threat, but it may not resonate with those who argue that Israel is violating international law by launching an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation, no matter how unpopular its government might be.

    When pressed on this, Pahlavi argued that the Islamic Republic’s own actions had brought it to this point and he did not believe Israel’s aim was to kill civilians.

    Are conditions inside Iran ripe for Pahlavi’s vision to become reality?

    We have not yet seen indications that Iranians are ready to act against the regime but it’s too early to say anything definitively.

    We have seen some people developing a stronger sense of patriotism, yet many have also blamed the Islamic Republic for getting involved in conflicts abroad, interfering in other countries' affairs and supporting groups which do not act in their interest.

    Pahlavi is right that ordinary Iranians don’t want to go to war with Israel.

    If an uprising did take place, Pahlavi is positioning himself as someone who could then lead Iran through a period of transition.

    He has gained popularity among Iranians, his name has international recognition. However, he is not seen as a de facto leader of Iran’s diverse opposition movements, both inside and outside the country.

    To strengthen his public support, he says the people should determine the shape of any future government.

    But everything in what he says hinges on a popular uprising and that hasn’t happened yet. Because of the lack of access to Iran it is hard to gauge the mood there.

    Social media has to be put in context, with enough posts on all sides of the argument for everyone to read something that chimes with their worldview.

    Will Iranians see things as both Netanyahu and Pahlavi have urged? That is the million-dollar question.

  9. US embassy in Jerusalem tells staff to shelter, allows families to leavepublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 15 June

    A flag flies inside the US embassy complex in Jerusalem.Image source, Getty Images

    The US embassy in Israel has told all staff and their families to shelter in place because of the current situation.

    The State Department says it is letting family members of staff in Israel, and some non-emergency staff, leave if they want to.

    Right now, the international airport near Tel Aviv is closed. That means the only way out is by land, into neighbouring countries like Jordan.

    The US keeps its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, not Tel Aviv – one of only a few countries to do this.

    Both the embassy in Jerusalem and its office in Tel Aviv are still open for emergency consular services.

  10. Iran will pay 'very heavy price', Netanyahu sayspublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 15 June

    Netanyahu visits the site of a missile strike on a residential building in Bat YamImage source, Avi Ohayon/LPO

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will pay a "very heavy price" for the deaths of Israeli civilians.

    Speaking at the site of a missile strike on a residential building in Bat Yam, Netanyahu calls it "the premeditated murder of civilians, women and children", and says Iran poses an "existential threat" to Israel.

    He adds that he "expresses sorrow" for those killed, and that "our hearts are with the families", while urging people to follow safety instructions from officials.

  11. 'I saw fear in their eyes' – rescuer describes Bat Yam scene after strikepublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 15 June

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    Ori LazarovichImage source, Ori Lazarovich

    I've been speaking to a member of Israel's rescue team, Magen David Adom (MDA), which has been working at the scene where six people died after a missile hit two residential buildings in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv.

    Rescue paramedic Ori Lazarovich says he arrived at the destroyed buildings at around 03:00 local time (01:00 BST).

    While co-ordinating a team of medics and rescue workers in the street, he says he saw about 100 people coming out of the building.

    "We started triaging people, while the building was still on fire on one side," he says.

    “Some were crying and some were holding their family members, I saw fear in their eyes," Lazarovich tells me. "People came out all grey, covered in soot and ash and debris and suffering from smoke inhalation."

    The critically injured were taken out on stretchers by emergency workers and sent to hospitals, he says.

  12. Residents in Bat Yam in shock as Israeli ministers vow more strikes on Iranpublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 15 June

    Hugo Bachega
    Middle East correspondent, reporting from Bat Yam

    All morning, rescuers searched for those who were still under the rubble of a building destroyed after being hit by a missile.

    Residents, some still in shock, came back to inspect their damaged homes and recover whatever they could find.

    The victims here include a 10-year-old-boy and a girl aged eight. Visiting Bat Yam, the Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said Israel’s campaign would continue, vowing that Israel will bring those who attack it to their knees.

    In Iran, the foreign minister said his country had the right to defend itself from aggression – and that Israel must stop its attacks.

    The number of Iranian casualties isn’t clear – but authorities say most of the victims are civilians. Israel’s end goal isn’t clear.

    Officials say the country wants to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons – but have also hinted at regime change.

  13. Israel struck more than 80 targets in Tehran overnight - IDFpublished at 12:48 British Summer Time 15 June

    Israel's military says dozens of its fighter jets attacked at least 80 targets in Tehran overnight and into the third day of fighting with Iran.

    They included the headquarters of the Iranian Ministry of Defense, the military's research and development unit, and "additional targets where the Iranian regime hid the nuclear archive".

    Other targets included two "dual-use" fuel sites that were used for both military and nuclear operations, the Reuters news agency reports, citing a military official.

    The IDF says it has struck more than 170 targets and 720 military infrastructure components in less than three days as part of its Operation Rising Lion.

  14. Far-right minister visits site of Iranian strikepublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 15 June

    Ione Wells and Tom Bennett
    Reporting from Bat Yam

    Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has just come walking through this neighbourhood in Bat Yam - where Israel’s right-wing governing coalition has long-enjoyed strong support.

    Surrounded by a dense group of armed security personnel, he greeted shop owners along a street where many had their windows blown through by the shock of the blast.

    One shop owner, Shimi, is sat on a plastic chair outside the front of his bakery - guarding it, he says, from people stealing.

    Does he support the conflict with Iran? "Of course," he tells us, waving his hands. "What kind of question is that?"

    Not long ago Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited, to chants of his nickname "Bibi".

    Some videos filmed during the visit show crowds singing. It is based on a traditional song titled “Dovid, Melech Yisrael” which translates as “David, King of Israel.” Many Jewish children learn it in school.

    But supporters of the prime minister have adapted the lyrics to “Bibi, Melech Yisrael” (Bibi, King of Israel).

    Media caption,

    Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visits Bat Yam

  15. Risk of regional escalation, UK Foreign Office sayspublished at 12:20 British Summer Time 15 June

    We've just reported that the UK Foreign Office has warned against all travel to Israel., external

    It outlines the risks of regional escalation, saying: "The situation has the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning."

    The Foreign Office also says that Israeli airspace remains closed as "air links out of the country have been disrupted" after a nationwide state of emergency was declared in Israel on 13 June.

    It's also worth noting that the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advise against all travel to Gaza, and all travel within 500m (1,640 feet) of the border with Syria.

    The Foreign Office also advises against all travel to Tulkuram, Jenin and Tubas and all but essential travel to the rest of the West Bank, except for East Jerusalem.

    It adds: "Follow instructions from the Israeli government. Restrictions may be put in place at short notice."

  16. Explosions heard in Tehran’s northwestern neighbourhoodspublished at 12:06 British Summer Time 15 June

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    BBC Persian

    I’m hearing from people in Tehran’s northwestern Shahrak-e Gharb and Saadat Abad neighbourhoods that they have heard loud explosions.

    Iranian state media outlets are reporting that the city’s air defence has been activated to intercept Israeli projectiles.

  17. UK Foreign Office advises against travel to Israelpublished at 11:59 British Summer Time 15 June
    Breaking

    The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has updated its guidance to advise against all travel to Israel amid the conflict with Iran because of the risk of escalation.

    It is advising anyone already in Israel or the Occupied Territories to follow the advice of local authorities.

  18. 'We’ve been here 24 years and now we have to start over', Israeli tells BBCpublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 15 June

    Lucy Williamson
    Middle East correspondent, reporting from Bat Yam

    Katya sat on a bench, surrounded by bags and suitcases.
    Image caption,

    Katya says she's traumatised after the strike

    A bright orange knot of rescue workers slowly scraped into the rubble at the foot of the tower block in Bat Yam when we arrived, at one point calling for a stretcher as they searched for several people still missing from the apartments hit last night.

    Around it, residential buildings in the blast zone slowly shedded masonry, shutters and balconies into the debris around them.

    On a bench outside, we met Katya, surrounded by suitcases of clothes she’d salvaged from her apartment next to the tower block.

    Her mother was in hospital, she said, with stitches in both arms after the impact. “I’m traumatised,” she said.

    “We’ve been here 24 years and now we have to start over. I’m holding myself back from crying.”

    Outside another building, Ilan told me he had come to check on the tenants he rented to there, his support for Israel’s war with Iran undented by the destruction of his property.

    “If you send 300 missiles and kill 10 people, how many can 1,000 missiles kill? A hundred people dead for Iran, to be erased and finish the problem? For me, it's worth it,” he told me.

    “The world has to cheer for us, clap their hands and say thank you to Israel for our courage and for our wisdom and everything – and not condemn Israel all the time for the Palestinians and everything.”

    You can see more from Lucy, who is in Bat Yam, in her report from the scene of the strike below.

    Media caption,

    BBC correspondent Lucy Williamson reports from site of Iranian attack on Israel

  19. Watch: A lot of destruction in Bat Yampublished at 11:36 British Summer Time 15 June

    BBC's Hugo Bachega is in Bat Yam, northern Israel.

    He's been at the scene of a strike that caused part of a 10-storey block of flats to collapse - killing six people and trapping seven more under the rubble.

    "There is a lot of destruction all around", he says.

    Media caption,

    BBC at site of attack on Israel's Bat Yam that left several dead

  20. 'This is an opportunity for regime change' - Iran's former crown prince Reza Pahlavipublished at 11:28 British Summer Time 15 June

    Media caption,

    'This is an opportunity for regime change' - son of former Shah, Reza Pahlavi

    The Iranian former crown prince Reza Pahlavi - the son of Iran's former Shah who was overthrown in the country's 1979 Islamic revolution - has been giving his assessment of the situation to the BBC.

    He claimed to Laura Kuenssberg that ordinary people in Iran who oppose the country's government have been "re-energised" by Israel's attacks, which have killed senior Iranian military leaders.

    "The ultimate solution is regime change, and now we have an opportunity because this regime is at its weakest point," he said.

    He called on world powers to "not sit idle and demonstrate vividly that beyond just imposing sanctions they are prepared to take the next step of giving the Iranian people a sense of support for their fight for democracy and freedom".

    Pahlavi lives in exile and has been actively trying to influence foreign players to support his cause. He also visited Israel in recent years.

    Read more - Israel's endgame may be regime change in Iran - but it's a gamble, external