Israel’s military says it has targeted Iran's Defense Ministry headquarters. - Yahoo News

Israel’s military says it has targeted Iran's Defense Ministry headquarters. - Yahoo News

Israel's military has reported targeting Iran's Defense Ministry headquarters in a series of retaliatory strikes, further escalating tensions between the two nations. The strikes follow a series of blistering Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear program and armed forces, which killed several top generals and scientists.

The Israeli strikes, which occurred on Friday, targeted key facilities and killed top military leaders, including Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who oversaw the entire armed forces, and Gen. Hossein Salami, who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The attacks also targeted the head of the Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

In response, Iran launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel on Saturday morning, killing at least three people and wounding dozens. The Israeli military urged civilians to head to shelter for hours, as explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The strikes have raised concerns about an all-out war between the countries and have disrupted East-West travel through the Middle East. Jordan and Lebanon have reopened their airspaces, signaling that the immediate danger appears to have passed. However, both Israel and Iran have stated that their attacks would continue.

The attacks have also put further nuclear talks between the United States and Iran into doubt. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, called the talks "meaningless" after the Israeli strikes. The talks were set to meet on Sunday in Oman, but Iran has yet to decide whether it will attend.

The escalation comes as the region is already on edge following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack and the reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. has been trying to prevent such a strike, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East.

The crossfire between Israel and Iran has disrupted global aviation routes, but the region appears to be stabilizing. However, the ongoing conflict raises significant geopolitical and economic risks, potentially impacting oil prices and regional stability.

References:
[1] https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-missile-drone-attacks-nuclear-a8b23f58b502ed77a20a9d843bf30f76
[2] https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-strikes-news-06-14-25