Tensions between Israel and Iran have reached a critical point as Israel announced on June 21 that it had eliminated three Iranian commanders during it’s extensive bombing campaign within Iran. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar asserted that these actions have already set back iran’s nuclear ambitions by an estimated two years.

The Israeli military reported that its air forces successfully targeted Saeed Izadi, a high-ranking Iranian official responsible for coordinating with Hamas, in Qom, located south of Tehran. Additionally, the military confirmed the deaths of two other commanders from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

As Israel continues its strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military sites, Mr. Saar stated in an interview published on June 21 that Israel believes it has “already delayed for at least two or three years the possibility for them to have a nuclear bomb.”

“We will do everything that we can do there in order to remove this threat,” he told German newspaper Bild, emphasizing Israel’s commitment to continue its offensive.

The exchange of strikes between Israel and Iran has intensified since Israel initiated its aerial campaign on June 13, driven by concerns that Iran was nearing the development of a nuclear weapon, a goal which Iran denies pursuing.

Israel has reportedly attacked Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site for a second time, following air strikes against missile storage and launch sites in central Iran. The military later confirmed strikes on military infrastructure in south-west Iran.

On June 20, US President Donald Trump cautioned that Tehran has a “maximum” of two weeks to avoid potential American air strikes, as Washington considers joining Israel’s bombing campaign.

Aggression Continues

“I just hit the wall. I don’t know how long I was unconscious. When I woke up, I was covered in blood from head to toe.”
– Ms Nasrin, Tehran resident

Efforts to de-escalate the conflict saw top diplomats from Britain, France, and Germany meeting with their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Geneva on June 20, urging him to resume talks with the US that had been disrupted by israel’s attacks.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated, “We invited the Iranian minister to consider negotiations with all sides, including the United States, without awaiting the cessation of strikes, which we also hope for.”

However, Mr. Araghchi told NBC News after the meeting that “we’re not prepared to negotiate with them (the US) any more, as long as the aggression continues.”

Mr. Trump dismissed the European diplomatic efforts, telling reporters, “Iran doesn’t want to speak to europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this.”

Mr. Trump also indicated that he is unlikely to ask Israel to halt its attacks to bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

“If somebody’s winning, it’s a little bit harder to do,” he said.

Potential US involvement could include the use of powerful bunker-busting bombs to destroy an underground uranium enrichment facility in Fordo.

On June 20, many shops were closed and markets were largely deserted in Tehran.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based non-governmental association, reported on June 20 that at least 657 people have been killed in Iran, including 263 civilians, based on its sources and media reports.

Iran’s Health Ministry reported on June 21 that more than 400 people had been killed and over 3,000 wounded in the Israeli strikes as june 13, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians.

Ms. Nasrin, 39, recounted being thrown across a room in her Tehran home by an Israeli strike.

“I just hit the wall,” she told AFP while receiving treatment at Hazrat Rasool hospital in the Iranian capital. “I don’t know how long I was unconscious. When I woke up, I was covered in blood from head to toe.”

‘Perilous Moment’

Traffic police and the Fars news agency reported congestion on roads into tehran on June 21, suggesting that some residents were returning.

Internet access in Tehran remained unstable and limited, with slow connections and many sites inaccessible, according to AFP journalists.

Official figures indicate that Iran’s retaliatory strikes have killed at least 25 people in Israel.

Israeli rescuers reported no casualties after a missile struck a residential building in Beit She’an.

The site of the strike in northern Israel showed mounds of soil gouged from the ground and a destroyed wall of a ground-floor room.

Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate stated that more than 450 missiles and about 400 drones have been fired at the country so far.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have targeted military sites and air force bases.

In Tel Aviv, residents expressed growing weariness under the constant threat from Iran. “In the middle of the night, we have to wake the children and take them to the shelter,” said Mr. omer.

“They are tired all the day after that,” he added, noting his continued support for Israel’s war aim of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Western powers have consistently voiced concerns regarding the rapid expansion of Iran’s nuclear programme, notably its accelerated uranium enrichment.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s chief Rafael Grossi has stated that Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons to enrich uranium to 60 per cent.

however, he added that there was no evidence Tehran had all the components to make a functioning nuclear warhead. Mr. Grossi told CNN that it was “pure speculation” to estimate how long it would take Iran to develop weapons.