Israel-Iran newest: US says embassy in Tel Aviv broken by Iranian missiles whereas Haifa energy plant ‘on fire’
The US embassy in Tel Aviv has suffered damage after an Iranian missile struck a residential area of the city, the ambassador to Israel said.
Several residential buildings were destroyed in a strike that blew out the windows of hotels and other nearby homes just a few hundred metres from the embassy branch, which suffered minor damage. No staff were injured but the embassy will remain closed, ambassador Mike Huckabee said.
Overnight explosions also rocked Israel’s port city Haifa as both Iran and Israel continue to target each other with devastating missiles and airstrikes.
Rescue teams in Israel combed through rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators to look for survivors. At least eight people were killed overnight on Sunday in Israel, the army said.
In Iran, images from the capital showed the night sky lit up by a huge blaze at a fuel depot after Israel began strikes against Iran’s oil and gas sector – raising the stakes for the global economy and the functioning of the Iranian state.
Israel defence minister Israel Katz said on Monday that the residents of Tehran will “pay the price and soon”.
Latest photos emerging from Israel after Iranian strikes
Israel intercepts eight Iranian drones overnight
Israel intercepted eight of the drones fired by Iran overnight, the Israeli military has said.
The drones were intercepted overnight by the navy’s missile ships, it added.
It is unclear exactly how many Iranian drones struck Israel on Sunday night.
Israel reacts angrily to closure of stands at Paris Air Show
Israel has hit out angrily at the decision by Paris Air Show organisers to shut down the stands of four Israeli companies.
The decision was made because the firms were displaying offensive or kinetic weapons on the stands and failed to comply with instructions from Israeli authorities to remove them, a source told Reuters news agency.
“This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition – weapons that compete with French industries.”
Trump: ‘Sometimes they have to fight it out’
Donald Trump has said Iran and Israel might need to “fight it out” to bring an end to an exchange of deadly air strikes over the weekend.
“I hope there’s going to be a deal. I think it’s time for a deal,” he told reporters before leaving for a G7 summit on Sunday. “Sometimes they have to fight it out.”
Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters yesterday.
The issue is expected to be high on the agenda at the G7 summit, as the leaders of the US, UK, Italy, France, Germany, and Japan gather in the Canadian Rockies.
The US president has made similar comments on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Iranian response to Israeli nuclear attacks ‘matter of principle’, says ambassador to UK
Iran’s retaliation to Israeli attacks on its nuclear facilities is “self defence” and a “matter of principle”, the Iranian ambassador to the UK has said.
The “barbaric Israeli regime” is “violating international law”, Seyed Ali Mousavi told Sky News’ Yalda Hakim. He added that Israel’s actions were an “act of aggression against the Iranian people”.
More than 20 people have been killed by Iranian strikes on Israel, according to Israelin tallies.
“It is a matter of principle,” Mr Mousavi said. “This is about self-defence, there is no doubt about it.
“We are a responsible member state of the UN and we do all activities according to our international obligations.
“Any activities are only in the framework of self-defence.”
Four Israeli companies shut down stands at Paris Air Show, says official
Four Israeli companies have had their stands shut down by the organisers of Paris Air Show, an official at the Israeli Ministry of Defence has said.
French authorities made the decision after Israeli firms failed to comply with instructions to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands, a source said.
The air show, which claims to be the largest of its kind in the world and begins today (Monday), is a trade fair held in odd years at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport in France.
A spokesperson for Gifas, the show’s organiser, said some stands were closed, but declined to comment further.
Iran executes man for spying for Israel – Iranian media
Iran has executed a man who was found guilty of spying for Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday, identifying the man as Esmail Fekri.
The execution is the third in recent weeks related to the conducting of espionage on behalf of Israel.
In pictures: Damage in Israel following Iranian strikes
Residents of Tehran will ‘pay the price’, vows Israeli minister
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said on Monday the residents of Tehran will “pay the price and soon”.
His comments came after the Iranian military fired missiles which struck Tel Aviv and Haifa before dawn, killing at least eight people.
At least 100 more were wounded in the overnight strikes, part of a wave of attacks by Tehran in retaliation for Israel’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and on senior military figures.
Iranian media reports that more than 224 Iranians have been killed and 1,277 injured as of Sunday evening, quoting the health ministry. This includes dozens of women and children.
Eight dead and hundreds wounded in Israel overnight – Israeli army
The Israeli army has said the death toll from Iranian attacks overnight on Sunday has risen to eight, according to the Israeli military.
We earlier reported that at least 5 people had been killed, bringing Israel’s death toll to at least 18 since Friday. That toll is now at 21.
At least 100 more were wounded in the overnight strikes, part of a wave of attacks by Tehran in retaliation for Israel’s pre-emptive strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The deaths mounted today after Iranian missiles struck Israel’s Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa before dawn, destroying homes and creating widespread panic in the region.
It comes as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards hail the “new methods” they are using in aerial warfare against Israel to ensure it can breach Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.
Source: independent.co.uk
