Key points
- Israel’s military claimed it was carrying out new strikes on Tehran
- Air raid sirens sounded in northern Israel
- 47 persons were injured in Israel after Iran missile attack
- Foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens from both countries
ISLAMABAD: Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on Thursday, the seventh day of strikes in their most intense confrontation in history.
AFP cited Israel’s military as claiming it was carrying out new strikes on Tehran and other parts of Iran on Thursday morning.
AFP cited Iranian media as saying a new salvo of missiles were fired at Israel Thursday.
“The missiles roared over Tel Aviv,” an Iranian news agency reported, while state television broadcast live images of the commercial hub.
According to Al Jazeera, explosions were heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as Iranian missiles target Israel. It reported that several explosions have been heard over both cities. Air alerts were activated from central to northern Israel as a new wave of Iranian missiles targeted the country. Al Jazeera cited Israeli media as saying at least four missile impact sites in Israel.
AFP cited Israeli rescue services as claiming that at least 47 persons were injured in Israel after Iran missile attack.
Khamenei’s speech
Earlier, Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech read on state television: “This nation will never surrender.”
“America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage,” he had said.
AFP journalists heard blasts across Tehran throughout the day on Wednesday, with smoke billowing over parts of the city.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed in the afternoon that air force jets had “destroyed the internal security headquarters of the Iran.
France and China
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israel to end strikes on targets in Iran not linked to nuclear activities or ballistic missiles, his office said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has voiced deep concern over the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, urging both sides to de-escalate the situation and resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomatic means rather than military confrontation.
Speaking at an international summit in Astana, President Xi emphasised that China firmly opposes any violation of national sovereignty, security, or territorial integrity. He stressed that further escalation of the current crisis would serve no one’s interests.
Foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens from both countries, with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announcing plans on Wednesday to get Americans out by air and sea.
Netanyahu acknowledged “painful losses”, but added: “The home front is solid, the people are strong”, according to AFP.
The Israeli prime minister’s office admitted Monday that at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded since Iran’s retaliatory strikes began Friday.
Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.
