Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

When Donald Trump spoke earlier today, he also briefly addressed internal tensions within his MAGA movement over the possibility of US strikes in Iran.

Some of his followers have expressed scepticism over the US become entangled in another Middle Eastern war, with some pointing out that he campaigned heavily on keeping the US out of foreign entanglements.

"My supporters are for me," he told reporters. "My supporters don't want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon."

"Nobody thinks it's okay," he added.

He also claimed that conservative commentator Tucker Carlson - who had a fiery exchange with Senator Ted Cruz over Iran - called to apologise.

The families of 53 hostages still held in Gaza have sent an open letter to US President Donald Trump, urging him to leverage the Israel's war with Iran to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

"As tensions rise across the Middle East, we ask that you not forget the 53 hostages who remain in Gaza," the letter, shared on social media platform, Truth Social, external, says.

"We must seize the opportunity while Iran and Hamas are at their weakest point to secure the release of all our loved ones in one deal," the families add.

"Bring them home, Mr President," they urge.

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
BBC Persian

Image source, IRTV

Iranian state TV has warned users about an "irrelevant" clip calling for the public to "rise up" against government that was reportedly seen by those accessing its channels via satellite.

“If you notice irrelevant messages while watching TV, it is due to the enemy jamming satellite signals,” state TV said.

The video, which has since been shared by social media users, accused the Iranian establishment of “failing” its own people and called on viewers to "take control of your future”. The source of the clip and the alleged hack are currently unknown.

A lion emblem appeared in the top-right corner of the video, which also showed images of senior Iranian commanders who were killed by Israel during its "Operation Rising Lion" offensive against Iran on 13 June.

The video featured several clips from the mass protests of 2022, which were triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody, allegedly due to an improperly worn hijab.

The main slogan of those protests was “Woman, Life, Freedom” - a phrase recently used by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who just like the video called on Iranians to “rise up”.

Parizad Nobakht
BBC Persian

As tensions between Iran and Israel escalate, many Iranians living abroad are desperate to protest a war that has caught them off guard—leaving them gripped by the same anxiety as those back home. But many say they have no independent platform to express their anti-war stance.

On social media and in private conversations, Iranians in the diaspora — those who support neither the Islamic Republic, nor opposition groups such as the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), the monarchists, or any other organised faction — say their independent voices are being lost. Iran’s opposition is deeply fragmented, with no single umbrella group that represents all dissident voices. Many simply don’t feel represented by any of the prominent or active groups, even if they strongly oppose the regime. Protests are often dominated by better-organised political movements with banners, sound systems, and financial backing, leaving little space for those who arrive empty-handed and heavy-hearted, hoping simply to say “no to war”.

In recent days, Iranians in London have been anxiously scouring social media for calls to protest that are free from political affiliations—hoping their message won’t be drowned out by partisan slogans.

Now, a group among them is trying to organise a truly independent gathering. One that simply says: “No to war.”

The United Nations Security Council will hold another emergency meeting on Iran on Friday at 10:00 (15:00 BST) in New York.

The meeting comes at the request of Iran, supported by China, Pakistan and Russia.

Part of Iran's request includes having the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, as well as the UN political affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo deliver a briefing to the council again.

This would be the second meeting following a first emergency meeting last Friday.

During his comments today, Trump said that Iran should have done more to negotiate a deal with the US over its nuclear programme.

"They should have made a deal," he said. "In the end they decided not to do it."

And earlier today he told reporters on the White House lawn: "Why didn’t [Iran] negotiate with me before – all this death and destruction? Why didn’t [Iran] negotiate?"

Iran had appeared at negotiation meetings about its nuclear programme before Israel's attacks on Friday, and further talks between Iran and the United States were scheduled for Sunday.

Tehran pulled out of the talks after the attack began, and has refused to re-engage while the attacks continue.

Ione Wells
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Reuters

How do Israelis feel about the war?

Well, an early poll – and a caveat, it’s just one poll – by Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University suggests it depends a lot on who you speak to.

It found higher support for Israel’s strikes on Iran among Israeli Jews (83%). Compare that to only 12% of Arab Israelis who the poll suggests are in favour.

I’ve visited a couple of sites in Israel that have been impacted by strikes, including some that suffered casualties or significant damage.

In places like Bat Yam, where support for the government is high generally, several people I spoke to were shocked by the impact on their communities but still supported Israeli strikes on Iran if it meant damaging Iran’s nuclear programme.

Others though, like a mother and son I interviewed in Haifa, told me they were against the war. One cited concerns it would impact efforts to get Israeli hostages back from Gaza. The other cited concerns it was drawing global attention away from people suffering in Gaza, and wanted other nations to stop arming Israel.

We can bring you more from the IDF's statement. It says Israel has launched "three major waves of strikes" against Iran in the last 24 hours.

The first wave took place overnight and saw Israeli fighter jets strike "about 40 targets in the Tehran area", the IDF says. These targets included a "centrifuge production site".

The second wave "began this afternoon" with strikes aimed at 20 military and security targets "in the Tehran area", it says.

The third wave of strikes "began a short while ago" and is focused on western Iran.

"The jets are targeting operatives attempting to re-access and remove munitions from sites that were previously struck," the IDF says.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken to Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani on the phone to discuss "the developments in the Middle East in recent days," a Downing Street spokesperson says.

"Both echoed the need for de-escalation and diplomacy," the spokesperson says.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

There are so far no surprises or revelations during Trump's Oval Office comments.

As we heard earlier today, Trump has sought to maintain an air of unpredictability with regards to his decisions on Iran.

This strategic unpredictability is long a hallmark of Trump's management style.

In fact, even before he became president the first time in 2016, Trump said that the US "must, as a nation, be more unpredictable."

"We are totally predictable. We tell everything," he said at the time, in what was a thinly veiled swipe at the Obama administration.

The closest thing we heard to a decision today is that Trump has "ideas about what to do".

"I say it very simply, Iran can't have a nuclear weapon....it's very simple," he said in the Oval Office.

Whether the US plans to help militarily in the effort to prevent that, however, remains unclear.

Image source, Reuters

Trump tells reporters he has a meeting in an hour to discuss the latest news on the evacuation of American citizens out of Israel.

He says of Iran: "They should have made the deal, I had a great deal for them... in the end they decided not to do it, and now they wish they did it."

He adds Iranian representatives "want to meet", and repeated his claim that they "want to come to the White House".

It's not the first time Trump has said Iran wants to meet - earlier, the regime said this was a lie, posting to social media: "No Iranian official has asked to grovel at the gates of the White House."

Trump is further asked if the regime could change, to which he says: "Sure. Anything could happen, right?"

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

President Trump has just started speaking at the Oval Office, after the White House press pool was unexpectedly called into the room.

Trump was quickly asked about Iran, saying he has a meeting in the Situation Room "in a little while".

"We're going to see," he said. "I hate to see death."

Caroline Hawley
Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, EPA

The BBC has been hearing more from frightened residents of Tehran, who say they are caught in the middle of two military forces many oppose.

"I’m so afraid I can’t think straight," says a 21-year old woman, who is not evacuating the country's capital city.

"I’m so sad about what’s happening to my people. Both sides are attacking each other, but we are on neither side. We don’t like Israel, nor support the Islamic Republic. I want world leaders to make it all stop," she adds.

Another woman - who can’t leave Tehran because of her elderly grandmother - speaks of living under constant stress.

"Our lives, our jobs, our future plans - everything is falling apart. I’m asking the international community to stop this war before more lives are destroyed."

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
BBC Persian

Iranian police say in a statement that an Israeli attack near their headquarters in Tehran today injured a “small number” of personnel.

In a statement condemning the attack, the police say that while “some of its buildings” were affected, the attack “will not cause any disruption” to its operations.

Image source, Getty Images

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, warns that there could be "enormous consequences" if fighting between Israel and Iran continues to escalate.

In a statement released by released his office, Guterres says: "I remain profoundly alarmed by the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran."

The UN chief reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire, adding that any further "military interventions could have enormous consequences, not only for those involved but for the whole region and for international peace and security at large".

Guterres urges UN member states to comply fully with the UN Charter and international law, saying that diplomacy is the best way to address security issues in the region.

Image source, PA Media

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has chaired an emergency Cobra meeting "on the situation in the Middle East".

A Downing Street spokesperson said in the meeting ministers were "updated on efforts to support British nationals in the region and protect regional security" as well as "ongoing diplomatic efforts".

Starmer's decision to convene the high-level emergency response committee comes after he returned from the G7 summit in Canada where he and other world leaders emphasised their "commitment to peace and stability".

Image source, Reuters

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed Israeli citizens on the country's sixth day of hostilities with Iran.

He says that the operation to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat was moving forward and that Israel is controlling the skies over Iran's capital, Tehran.

Netanyahu states that, whilst there have been painful losses, Israel's home front remains strong.

The prime minister also spoke about Gaza, saying Israel remains committed to defeating Hamas and to rescuing the remaining hostages.

Finally, he thanked US president Donald Trump for his support and added that the leaders were in regular contact.

As we mentioned in a previous post, the Israeli military says it has fired further missiles at Iran.

In its daily briefing, the IDF says it launched a new wave of attacks targeting missile systems and storage sites in Tehran.

It adds that in the past 24 hours, the IDF has launched "three major waves of strikes". Among the targets was a site for the production of centrifuges, it adds.

Image source, WANA/Reuters

Iran has fired missiles on Israel in a new wave of strikes, Iranian state media is reporting, claiming that the missiles have successfully penetrated Israeli defences.

The Israeli military has not acknowledged any such strike, but also says it has launched its own missiles at an Iranian missile site.

Israeli defence systems tend to intercept most missiles launched at it.

Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent

Image source, MOD/Crown Copyright/PA

The BBC understands that, so far, the US has not made a formal request to use the UK’s military bases in Diego Garcia or Cyprus to conduct potential strikes against Iran.

Normally, the US would first inform its ally if it intended to conduct offensive operations from those UK military bases.

US bombers are believed to be in Diego Garcia. The US Air Force regularly deploys aircraft to the base.

A British source says they believe that for Washington "all options" are on the table in regards to what Trump might do next on Iran. The source says there is not complete clarity on the American plan.

The US has sent additional military asset to Europe and the Middle East region - including refuelling tankers, fighter jets and an additional aircraft carrier. The USS Nimitz will join the USS Carl Vinson, already in the Arabian Gulf.

The UK source describes the additional US military assets as defensive - to protect US military bases, personnel and interests in the region.

Britain, too, has boosted its military presence at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Another six Typhoon jets have been sent, joining the eight Typhoons already at the base.

The additional jets will allow the UK to carry out continuous overwatch of UK military bases. The US has used RAF Akrotiri in past military operations.