Thursday 19 / June / 2025
Israel has said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be "held accountable" after an Iranian strike on an Israeli hospital.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the Israeli military "to intensify strikes against strategic targets in Iran and against the power infrastructure in Tehran."
"These are some of the most serious war crimes — and Khamenei will be held accountable for his actions," Katz said. He added that the strikes aim "to eliminate the threats to the state of Israel and to shake the Ayatollahs' regime."
The statement comes amid heightened tensions following the attack, which has prompted condemnation and fears of further escalation.
Israeli military says airstrike hits nuclear sites in Arak and Natanz
The Israeli military has announced it has struck what it calls an "inactive nuclear reactor" in Arak, Iran, during overnight air raids.
The operation also targeted a site near Natanz, described as part of Iran’s nuclear weapons development efforts.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it had "targeted the nuclear reactor in the area of Arak in Iran, including the structure of the reactor’s core seal, which is a key component in plutonium production."
It said the strike aimed "to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development."
The military added that "a nuclear weapons development site in the area of Natanz" was also struck. According to the statement, about 40 Israeli air force jets took part in the raids, hitting "dozens" of sites overnight.
Israeli strike hits area near Iran's Khondab nuclear facility
An area near the heavy-water research reactor in Khondab, a key site in Iran's nuclear program, was struck by Israeli forces, according to a report by the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) on Thursday.
ISNA said that officials had evacuated the facility before the attack and emphasized that there was no radiation risk.
The reactor, formerly known as Arak, is still under construction. Iran has informed the UN nuclear watchdog that it plans to begin operating the facility next year.
