Tehran/Moscow/Tel Aviv, June 23, 2025: The conflict between Iran and Israel entered its 11th day on Monday, escalating dramatically with reciprocal missile strikes and heightened international concern. Tensions soared following reports of an Israeli strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, and Iranian missile barrages targeting Israeli cities.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed strikes on strategic sites in Tehran, including the notorious Evin Prison, which houses political dissidents. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted footage of the attack, captioned with the phrase “long live freedom” in Spanish.
Earlier in the day, air raid sirens blared across Tel Aviv and central Israel for over 30 minutes amid a wave of Iranian missile attacks. The Israeli military said its air defenses intercepted several projectiles, though some fell in populated areas, causing civilian casualties.
Iranian Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour stated that at least 13 children and 44 women — including two pregnant women — have been killed since Israel began its air campaign on June 13. While no official nationwide death toll was released Monday, Kermanpour previously said over 400 people had been killed, with more than 3,000 injured, the majority of them civilians.
Tehran remains under attack, with residents fleeing to rural areas. Iranian officials claim Israeli strikes have met little resistance due to degraded air defenses.
Tensions intensified after U.S. forces launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear installations on Sunday, reportedly causing severe damage to the Fordow facility. While independent verification remains pending, satellite imagery analyzed by experts suggests “monumental damage” to uranium enrichment infrastructure deep beneath the mountain.
President Donald Trump hailed the attack on his social platform, calling it a “bullseye” and saying, “If the current Iranian regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be regime change?”
In a sharply worded response, Iran’s military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaqari called Trump a “gambler”, vowing Tehran would end the war if the U.S. had started it: “Mr. Trump, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it.”
In a dramatic political twist, Reza Pahlavi, the U.S.-based son of Iran’s last Shah, offered to lead a peaceful democratic transition. “I do not seek political power, but rather to help our great nation navigate through this critical hour toward stability, freedom and justice,” he said, urging elements loyal to the nation — not the regime — to join his cause.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the strikes on Tehran as “unprovoked aggression” during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow. Iranian sources said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had sent a personal letter to Putin, requesting stronger Russian support.
Putin has yet to publicly comment on the U.S. strikes but reiterated Russia’s willingness to mediate and safeguard Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy. The Kremlin said Moscow is coordinating with Tehran but has refrained from directly confronting the U.S. or Israel.
Iran’s parliament approved a motion to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil passageway. The move requires approval from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, raising fears of a global energy crisis.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that any attempt to block the strait would be “economic suicide” and urged China to intervene diplomatically, given its dependence on Gulf oil shipments. Oil prices spiked to over $80 per barrel early Monday before stabilizing slightly.
Global reactions
- Australia backed U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons but urged restraint to avoid “full-scale war.”
- North Korea strongly condemned the U.S. strikes, calling them a breach of the UN Charter and blaming Israel for regional instability.
- In Israel, the military claimed it had launched 20 jets overnight to target Iranian military sites, including radar and missile systems in Kermanshah and Tehran. Iranian agencies reported air defense activity over central districts and near Parchin, a key military complex.
Meanwhile, Iran’s missile strikes on Israel have killed 24 civilians and injured hundreds, marking the first time Iranian missiles have significantly breached Israeli defenses.
