Iran-Israel Conflict: 'Only Qatar Airbase Was Attacked', Says US Official; Iran Says Attack Not Against 'Brotherly' Qatar

• Iran's state-run Tasnim agency said that Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched missiles at US bases in Qatar and Iraq. The state media also announced that Iran had begun its 'mighty and victorious' response to US strikes.

• Qatar has decided to temporarily suspend air traffic as 'precautionary measures' due to regional security concerns.

• Israel’s Defence Ministry said it hit targets including the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran and the security headquarters of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards.

• Iran’s underground enrichment site at Fordow, which was one of those hit in Sunday’s attack by the U.S. on three nuclear facilities, was also struck again.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told the Iranian Foreign Minister that there was no justification for the United States' attack on Iran, reported Reuters. 

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that 290 Indian nationals and one Sri Lankan national were evacuated from Mashhad on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday confirmed that American strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities had “devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” in what is being described as one of the most complex and aggressive U.S. military operations in recent years.

Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth said the operation, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, was carried out under direct orders from President Donald Trump after months of meticulous planning. The strikes targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites.

"This was a decisive and devastating blow," Hegseth said. “While we do not seek war, the United States will act swiftly and decisively when our people, partners, or interests are threatened.”

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US President Donald Trump in a social media post wrote, "it’s not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???"

During an address to a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkiye, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US crossed “a very big red line” by attacking Iran’s three nuclear facilities.

Speaking just hours after Trump announced that US warplanes had “obliterated” the nuclear sites, Araghchi condemned the strikes and called on the United Nations Security Council to act.

“It is an outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” he said, adding that the “warmongering and lawless” US administration will be “solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression”.

“The US military attack on the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of a UN member state carried out in collusion with the genocidal Israeli regime has once again revealed the extent of the United States’ hostility towards the peace-seeking people of Iran. We will never compromise on their independence and sovereignty,” he said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to defend Iran’s territory, sovereignty, and people by all means necessary against not just US military aggression, but also the reckless and unlawful actions of the Israeli regime.”

- Al Jazeera

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the US "must receive a response for their aggression" after a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In a statement released on the Iranian presidency's website, Pezeshkian says Iran has been "subjected to military aggression" and has "defended ourselves steadfastly".

"We have always stated that we are ready to engage and negotiate within the framework of international law, but instead of accepting logic, the other side has demanded the surrender of the Iranian nation," he says.

Pezeshkian adds: "Our nation will never surrender to bullying and oppression, and it is natural that it will respond appropriately to aggression."

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined the details of the operation, which involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, including seven B-2 stealth bombers, midair refueling tankers, surveillance aircraft, and fighter escorts.

The mission began just after midnight ET on Friday. B-2 bombers launched from the United States, with a portion heading west as a decoy while the main strike group flew eastward in radio silence over an 18-hour flight.

At around 5 p.m. ET Saturday, a US submarine fired more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at surface-level infrastructure at the Isfahan nuclear site. This was followed at 6:40 p.m. ET by a devastating air assault on Iran's most fortified nuclear sites.

The lead B-2 bomber dropped two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators — 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs — on the Fordow underground facility. Subsequent bombers struck additional targets at Natanz and Isfahan. All strikes were completed by 7:05 p.m. ET, which corresponds to roughly 2:10 a.m. local time in Iran on Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has slammed Iran’s support for Russia’s war against his country and offered tacit approval of the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“New waves of ‘Shahed’ drones are in the skies over Ukraine. We all clearly remember where Russia got such weapons. Iran’s decisions to support Russia have brought massive destruction and devastating human losses to our country, and to many others. This truly must stop. And it must absolutely not be reinforced with nuclear weapons,” the Ukrainian leader said in his nightly address.

“There must be no proliferation of nuclear weapons in the modern world. This must be emphasized. It is important that there is American resolve on this, the resolve of President Trump.”

He added that diplomacy should be a priority going forward.

“Diplomacy has to start working. Working everywhere: in the Middle  East, in the Gulf region, and here in Europe – in Ukraine,” he said.

- Al Jazeera

The price of oil rose and U.S. stock futures fell as global markets react to the U.S. strike against nuclear targets in Iran.

The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 2.6% to $79 a barrel. U.S. crude rose 2.6% to $75.76 a barrel.

Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.4%, while Nasdaq futures fell 0.5%. Treasury yields were little changed. The modest moves indicate markets are taking the latest development in stride.

That was evident in early Asian trading. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index fell 0.6%. Other major regional markets also logged moderate declines.

- Associated Press

According to Al Jazeera, the Kremlin has confirmed the meeting between President Vladimir Putin and the Iranian foreign minister on Monday. This comes as analysts say it’s highly likely that Iran will offer Trump a compromise, and wants Putin to get involved as a mediator.

The Kremlin has not yet officially commented on the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, but the Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned them.

President Putin earlier said that Russia would not get involved in the conflict militarily, as Russia is conducting its own military operation in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump has posted on his Truth Social site saying the US caused "monumental damage" with its strikes on "all nuclear sites in Iran".

"Obliteration is an accurate term", he wrote.

Referring to a satellite image which he did not share in the post, Trump said a "white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock" and "completely shielded from flame", while "the biggest damage took place far below ground level."

"Bullseye!!!" he added at the end of the post.

- BBC

The US president will meet with his national security team at the Oval Office in the White House on Monday afternoon local time, according to media reports.

The meeting comes as the US assesses the damage from its strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and Trump warns Tehran of regime change if it does not change direction.

The CNN broadcaster, meanwhile, says that Trump was initially scheduled to depart for the NATO summit at The Hague on Monday, but will now be leaving on Tuesday.

- Al Jazeera

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his country is fully behind the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, and urges all sides to return to the negotiating table.

"We don't want escalation and a full-scale war," he says at a press conference in the nation's capital Canberra, alongside Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

"We continue to call for dialogue and for diplomacy," Albanese says, calling on Iran not to take "any further action that could destabilise the region".

- BBC

The Islamic State of Iran, is facing an existential challenge, the gravest, since the 1979 Revolution threw out the Shah of Iran and brough the clergy to power. America entering the war with Israel has changed the ground situation. The un predictable and temperamental Donald Trump is sending out mixed signals on regime change. Initially it was just Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers who spoke of it but now Trump appears to be playing to the Israeli leaders tune.

It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

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The US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities marks a “perilous turn” in the Middle East, UN chief Antonio Guterres told an emergency session of the Security Council here, amid escalating tensions in the region.

The 15-nation Council met for the emergency session on Sunday after President Donald Trump announced that the US had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran - Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

“The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling. From the outset of the crisis, I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,” Secretary General Guterres told the UN Security Council.

Guterres said the people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. “And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.   The UN Chief stressed that the international community must act immediately and decisively to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme.

Guterres said that Iran must fully respect the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is a cornerstone of international peace and security.

- PTI

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of escalation beyond the Middle East as he called for all sides to negotiate a diplomatic end to the crisis, saying stability was the priority in the volatile region.

The U.K., along with the European Union, France and Germany, tried unsuccessfully to broker a diplomatic solution in Geneva last week with Iran.

Starmer said Iran’s nuclear program posed a grave threat to global security.

“Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the U.S. has taken action to alleviate that threat,” Starmer said.

- Associated Press

Japan has called for de-escalation of the conflict in Iran and said US strikes demonstrated Washington’s determination to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Japan also said it was “extremely regrettable” that the situation between Israel and Iran had escalated into a cycle of retaliation, according to Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.

“Japan continues to strongly hope that the path to dialogue will be reopened by efforts toward a resolution of Iran’s nuclear issue through talks between the US and Iran,” Iwaya said in a statement.

- Al Jazeera

Iran’s Foreign Minister - who is in Moscow for talks at the Kremlin - says that he will have “serious and important discussions” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, touching on “common challenges and threats”.

Russia has condemned the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities with the Russian ambassador at the UN saying America had "opened a Pandora’s box".

If Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi does meet Putin later today, he’s likely to receive strong words of support from the Kremlin leader but military assistance from Moscow appears unlikely.

- BBC

The Pakistan government will hold an emergency meeting of its top security body on Monday to discuss the regional situation after the US airstrikes on Iran's three nuclear facilities.

The National Security Committee (NSC) is the highest forum for security deliberations in the country, and its meeting is chaired by the Prime Minister.

The country's top civil and military leadership, including Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, are part of the committee.

Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) told the Dawn newspaper that the NSC meeting will be held on Monday evening.

Munir, who recently returned from a trip to the US, will brief the committee on the details of his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

- PTI

The United States entered the conflict between Iran and Israel on Sunday after it struck three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities - Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz. The attack drew both support and condemnation from nations around the world. US President Donald Trump described the damage as “monumental” after hitting the nuclear facilities. 

China condemned the US strikes asserting that it might be repeating the same mistake it did in Iraq, according to state media. The Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement asking all parties to implement a ceasefire. 

“China is willing to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and contribute to the work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East,” the ministry added.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry released a statement in support of the US attack on Iran. “The peaceful efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons have been ongoing for years, but they have not yielded effective results,’ the statement said. 

“We are convinced that the measures taken by the United States and Israel against Iranian nuclear facilities have sent a clear message to the Iranian regime — a message that the continuation of policies aimed at destabilizing regional security is unacceptable,” it added. 

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDS) has claimed their military has struck six Iranian military airports, and has destroyed 15 fighter jets and helicopters.

"Intelligence guidance from the Military Intelligence Service, in the Kermanshah area in Iran, destroying several launch and storage sites for surface-to-surface missiles aimed at the territory of the State of Israel," the IDF said in a statement.

The Israeli military says it carried out air strikes on at least six airports in western, eastern and central Iran.

In a statement posted on its Hebrew account on X, Israel said that remotely manned aircraft destroyed 15 Iranian aircraft and helicopters. An image attached in the post listed the Mehrabad, Mashhad and Dezful airports as among those targeted.

“The strikes damaged runways, underground bunkers, a refuelling plane and F-14, F-5, and AH-1 aircraft belonging to the Iranian regime,” it said.

“The air force disrupted the ability to take off from these airports and the operation of the Iranian army’s air power from them.”

- Al Jazeera

In a new statement posted on its Hebrew account on X, the Israeli military says it also attacked launch and storage sites for Iranian surface-to-surface missiles.

It said 15 air force jets carried out the attacks in Kermanshah province, destroying several sites.

Israel said its military will continue “to intensify its attacks” to achieve “air superiority” over Iranian airspace.

Earlier, we reported that Israel targeted six airports across Iran, destroying several aircraft, including helicopters.

Source: Al Jazeera

Israel’s emergency response agency Magen David Adom said it has dispatched crews to reported impact sites following the latest barrage of missiles fired from Iran.

People were instructed to enter shelters across the country in the last hour, and Israel’s Defense Forces has recently warned more missiles have been detected.

“Additional missiles were launched toward the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement, adding: “The explosions you are hearing are from interceptions or fallen projectiles.”

Source: CNN

Iran said on Monday that the U.S. attack on its nuclear sites expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces and called U.S. President Donald Trump a "gambler" for joining Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, said the U.S. should expect heavy consequences for its actions.

"Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said in English at the end of a recorded video statement.

Source: Reuters

❝No one can tell us what we should or should not do as long as we move within framework of our obligations under treaty❞

Iran will continue nuclear enrichment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, says Deputy Foreign Minister Ravanchi.

Source: Anadolu English

China has called for greater international effort to de-escalate the Israel-Iran conflict to prevent further impact on the global economy, as calls grow within Iran for closing the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites..

“Maintaining security and stability in the region serves the common interests of the international community,” Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the ministry, told a regular news conference Monday.
“China calls on the international community to intensify efforts to de-escalate the conflict and prevent regional turbulence from further impacting global economic development,” he added.

For China, the world’s largest importer of oil and the biggest buyer of crude from Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is even more important.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to dissuade Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: CNN

Israel’s YNet news outlet, citing the Israeli military, says Iran fired eight missiles in four volleys in the first round of attacks in the past hour.

It said the military intercepted most of the missies, but that one of them landed near a strategic facility of the Israel Electric Company (IEC) in southern parts of the country.

The hit caused electricity disruption in the area, it added.

Source: Al Jazeera

Israel has identified additional missiles launched from Iran toward the country’s north, the Israel Defense Forces said Monday, adding that it is working to intercept them.

The military asked the public to enter shelters and remain there until further notice.

Source: CNN

A spokesman for the Qom Province Crisis Management headquarters says the Israeli army have attacked Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, just one day after it was targeted in US strikes, Tasnim news agency is reporting.

The official said there was no danger to residents in the area, Tasnim added.

Source: Al Jazeera

Russia deeply regrets and condemns the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the Kremlin said on Monday.

The U.S. actions have increased the number of participants in the conflict and ushered in a new spiral of escalation, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

There are no plans for a Trump-Putin call for now, the Kremlin said.

Source: Reuters

Around 8,000 Israelis left without electricity after Iranian missile attack in southern Israel, says energy ministe.

Source: Anadolu English

An Israeli military spokesman says its air force is continuing to carry out air strikes on the Tehran area.

The attacks are specifically targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp command centres, the spokesman said.

- Al Jazeera

Israel launched new airstrikes on the Fordo nuclear site, south of the Iranian capital Tehran, Iranian media.

Source: Anadolu English

We have a new update by Hossein Kermanpour, the head of the public relations at Iran’s Health Ministry.

In a social media post, Kermanpour said at least 13 children have been killed since Israel started attacking Iran on June 13, with the youngest being “just two months old”.

He added that 44 women have also been killed in the Israeli attacks, including two who were pregnant.

Kermanpour’s update did not provide an overall death toll but in another post on Saturday, he had said that more than 400 people had been killed since the start of the conflict, with at least 3,056 others wounded.

“The majority of casualties and the injured have been civilians,” he had said.

Source: Al Jazeera

US President Trump claims that US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites has ‘completely and totally obliterated’ the facilities.

However, early independent assessments suggest the strikes did not fully destroy key enriched uranium.

Source: Anadolu English

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow on Monday, as Israeli forces continued to strike Tehran. The Russian leader condemned US attacks on Iran and reassured the Iranian delegation that the people of Iran can count on Russia for support.

A short video released by the Kremlin shows Putin meeting the Iranian delegation in an ornate room, accompanied by his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Yury Ushakov, a top-level aide and former Russian ambassador to Washington.

“This act of aggression against Iran has no grounds and no justification. We have long-standing, friendly and reliable relations with Iran, and we, for our part, are making efforts to support the Iranian people,” Putin said, while stating his belief that the United States was provoked by Israel to launch the attack.

Source: CNN

The U.S. bombing of Iran has not only left the United States Congress divided but also has created rifts in the MAGA base.

Top Democrat leaders on the Senate and House intelligence were not informed about it, while their Republican counterparts were. The U.S. senator of Virginia, Mark Warner, and representative of Connecticut, Jim Himes, were reportedly not briefed before the attack. 

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has warned of global economic consequences after the Israel US attack on Iran.

“First of all, the situation in the Middle East is very urgent,” said Lee, expressing concern that rising oil prices could lead to higher inflation in the country, which would take a toll on people’s livelihoods.

South Korea is Asia’s fourth-largest economy and depends heavily on exports. Seoul has deepened its reliance on crude oil imports from the Middle East, which accounted for 72 percent of the country’s total crude imports in 2023.

Source: Al Jazeera

Three oil and chemical tankers have steered away from the Strait of Hormuz, shows data from the Marine Traffic platform, as concerns mount over potential Iranian retaliation there to US attacks on its nuclear sites.

The Marshall Islands-flagged Marie C and Panama-flagged Red Ruby tankers dropped their anchors near Fujairah off the United Arab Emirates coast after having sailed towards the strait, the tracking data shows. The UK-flagged Kohzan Maru, meanwhile, veered close to Omani waters in the Gulf of Oman, according to the data.

Iran’s parliament has reportedly backed a measure to close off the Strait of Hormuz, but such a decision ultimately rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

source: Al Jazeera

The United States embassy in Qatar has issued a warning to Americans in the Gulf country to “shelter in place until further notice” as tensions in the region spiral.

“Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice,” said the message on the embassy website. No further explanation for the warning was given.

The warning comes amid fears that the conflict between Iran and Israel will spill over into the region, and concern that Iran might target American bases in the Middle East after the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities Sunday.

A warning from the embassy last week urged its personnel and Americans in Qatar to “exercises increased vigilance.”

Israel hit Iranian government targets in Tehran on Monday (June 23, 2025) in a series of strikes that followed a salvo of missiles and drones fired by Iran at Israel as fighting between the two foes raged for the 11th day.

Israel’s Defence Ministry said it hit targets including the notorious Evin Prison in the Iranian capital and the security headquarters of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards.Iran’s underground enrichment in site at Fordo , which was one of those hit in Sunday’s attack by the U.S. on three nuclear facilities, was also struck again.

Aerial assaults raged between the two foes early Monday, while Tehran vowed retaliation over the bunker-buster bombs American warplanes unleashed at the weekend on three nuclear sites.

U.S. President Donald Trump insisted the attack had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to determine how significantly Tehran’s nuclear programme had been impacted.

After the three deadly US strikes on Iran’s three nuclear facilities, which Trump claimed 'obliterated' them, Iranian officials have threatened to hit US military bases across the region.

“The criminal US must know that in addition to punishing its illegitimate and aggressive offspring [Israel], the hands of Islam’s fighters within the armed forces have been freed to take any action against its interests and military, and we will never back down in this regard,” Abdolrahim Mousavi, the new chief of staff of Iranian armed forces, said in a statement, Al Jazeera reported.

As per a report by Al Jazeera, the French airline will suspend flights until July 14, a spokesperson has said.

The airline is also cancelling flights to and from Dubai, in United Arab Emirates, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, until June 24, the spokesperson said.

Al Jazeera reported that power has been restored in northern Tehran.

An earlier attack in northern Tehran’s Evin neighbourhood damaged a power line, causing blackouts in nearby areas.

In an interview with the BBC, David Lammy has confirmed speaking directly with Iran’s foreign minister, delivering a stark message amid rising regional tensions.

“I told Iran that it would be a catastrophic mistake for them to retaliate by firing at US bases, or by blockading the key shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz,” the UK foreign secretary said.

According to the American think tank Council on Foreign Relations, as of June 2025, approximately 40,000 American soldiers are deployed across West Asia. However, this is considered a significant reduction from the height of US military deployment in the region, when 160,000 soldiers were stationed in Iraq in 2007, and 100,000 in Afghanistan in 2011.

Reports also suggest that the US currently maintains military facilities at around 19 sites across Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.

Here we have an account of the key US military bases across West Asia.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Amid escalating tensions involving Israel and Iran, the United States on June 22 issued a new advisory for US citizens warning of an 'elevated threat environment' within the country. The notice, issued by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), came a day after the US military struck three key nuclear sites in Iran.  

In view of the ongoing hostilities, the advisory warned of possible cyberattacks, retaliatory violence, and homegrown extremist activity.

“The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks,” the DHS bulletin said. 

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told the Iranian Foreign Minister that there was no justification for the United States attack on Iran, reported Reuters. The remarks came while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was in Moscow two days after the US strikes. 

The Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had sent Araghchi to request for more help from Russia after the biggest US military action against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. 

Putin told Araghchi in a televised statement that, "The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification.”

"For our part, we are making efforts to assist the Iranian people. I am very glad that you (Araghchi) are in Moscow today, this will give us the opportunity to discuss all these pressing issues and think together about how we could get out of today's situation," he added. 

READ FULL REPORT HERE

The Israeli military issued an 'urgent' warning to people living in Tehran that it will continue to strike targets in the city in the coming days.

In a post on its Farsi account on X, the Israel Defense Forces asks people to stay away from military and other security and manufacturing sites associated with the Iranian leadership in Tehran.

Iran’s Parliament has approved a plan to close the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the final decision lies with the Supreme National Security Council. 

Its closure could have far-reaching consequences as the Strait’s crucial geo-strategic location makes it integral to the global economy. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) calls it the world's most important oil chokepoint. 

U.S Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has called on China to prevent Iran from closing the Strait. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the strait of Hormuz for their oil.”

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that 290 Indian nationals and one Sri Lankan national were evacuated from Mashhad on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi at 19:15 hrs on 23 June.

With this, 2003 Indian nationals have been brought back safely from Iran so far under Operation Sindhu.

Qatar has decided to temporarily suspend air traffic as “precautionary measures” due to regional security concerns.

In a statement the State of Qatar said, “As per the State of Qatar’s commitment to the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors, the competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country’s airspace,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “This is part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region''.

Qatar’s airspace shutdown coincides with Iran’s threats to retaliate against the United States, following US strikes on its nuclear facilities over the weekend.

Earlier, the US and British governments Qatar issued a warning  to their citizens to “shelter in place until further notice” as tensions in the region spiral.

Britain’s foreign secretary said the country is prepared to defend its personnel and assets in the Middle East and also those of its allies, after having moved assets to the region on a precautionary basis earlier this month.

“Be in no doubt, we are prepared to defend our personnel, our assets and those of our allies and partners,” he told Parliament.

Flares are now visible over Qatar’s capital, Doha. It is not immediately known if it is the air defence system or missiles.

Loud explosions can also be heard.

American officials have been preparing for the likelihood that Iran could target US facilities in the wake of this weekend’s strikes.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency says a missile operation targeting US bases in Qatar and Iraq has begun. The operation, it said, is called “Annunciation of Victory”.

Source: Aljazeera

The US is tracking multiple missiles fired from Iran toward US military installations in Qatar and Iraq, according to two officials familiar with the matter.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine are in the Situation Room, according to a White House official.

A senior official said earlier that White House and Defence Department officials were monitoring potential attacks threats to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. President Donald Trump toured the base last month, the first commander in chief to visit since 2003. It is the largest US military installation in the Middle East.

“No visit in the Gulf would be complete without stopping to salute the people who keep America safe, strong and free,” Trump told the troops at the base on May 17.

Sources CNN

Iran has launched a “powerful and destructive missile attack” on the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar in response to the US striking its nuclear facilities, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on Almighty God and the faithful, proud people of Iran, will never leave any aggression against its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or national security unanswered,” the statement read.

Qatar’s defence ministry said they 'successfully' intercepted a missile attack targeting the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, adding that the attack did not result in any deaths or injuries.

The Iranian Supreme National Security Council says that the missile strike against Al Udeid Air Base was away from residential areas in Qatar.

“This action does not pose any threat to the friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people, and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to maintaining and continuing warm and historic relations with Qatar,” the council said in a statement.

Qatar condemned the attack as a blatant violation of its sovereignty.

Reports say UAE government has closed its airspace.

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior says sirens have sounded and has urged residents to move to "the nearest safe place."

In a series of posts on X, the ministry says residents should seek refuge in a building or other covered areas "until the danger has passed", without elaborating on the danger.

Source: BBC

Speaking to CNN, a US defence official said on Monday that the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar was attacked by 'short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran'.

“At this time, there are no reports of US casualties,” the official said while adding, “We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available.”

Al Jazeera reported that around 15 Israeli fighter jets carried out a wave of air strikes on western Iran, targeting underground military infrastructure, a missile storage site, and a drone storage facility it claimed belonged to Iranian forces.

The strikes were part of a broader operation, it said.

Amid the escalating tensions in West Asia, Kuwait Airways is the latest airline to suspend flights, citing regional developments. The announcement, posted to the airline’s X account, follows the closure of airspace by Qatar and Bahrain.

Quoting US military officials, Reuters reported that Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base was the only US military base targeted by Iran. The official confirmed there was no impact on the base just outside Qatar’s capital, Doha.

“At this time, there are no reports of US casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available", the official said

As Iran launched its retaliatory move on Monday by targeting a US airbase in Qatar, President Masood Pezeshkian said, "We were neither the initiators of war nor its seekers; but we will not leave aggression against #Great_Iran unanswered. With all our being, we will stand for the security of this #Dear_Nation and respond to every wound inflicted on Iran's body with faith, reason, and resolve. People, #God is watching over us."

UAE’s Foreign Ministry said it considers the attack “a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace and a clear contravention of international law and the UN Charter”.

“The UAE affirmed its categorical rejection of any attack that threatens the security and safety of Qatar and undermines the security and stability of the region,” it said.

The ministry expressed the UAE’s “full solidarity with Qatar and its unwavering support for all measures aimed at protecting the security and safety of its citizens and residents”.

Aljazeera

We have been faced with illegal aggression by US. We will not bow down, he said

Qatar’s interior ministry said the security situation in the country “remains stable” and there’s no cause for concern following Iran’s attack on the Al Udeid Air Base.

Iran says it is still committed to maintaining warm relations with Qatar after striking the Al Udeid Air Base in that country, the Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in a statement.

“The base which was targeted by the powerful Iranian forces is far away from urban installations and residential areas in Qatar. This action has no dangerous aspect to our friendly and brotherly country of Qatar and its noble people,” the statement said.

Al Udeid Air Base is a self-contained facility located about 50-60km (30-37 miles) outside Doha city centre.

The air base is far removed from the urban centre, and the civilian population has no interaction with it or with the military personnel stationed there.

It is located off Salwa Road, the road connecting Doha to the border with Saudi Arabia.

It is entirely self-contained – just as it was designed to be when the Qataris built it in 1996.

A message posted on the social media account of Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says Iran did not harm anyone and will not accept any aggression from anyone under any kind of circumstances.

“We will not submit to anyone’s aggression; this is the logic of the Iranian nation.”