Explosions were heard in Iran's capital as Israeli warplanes pounded Tehran overnight and into Wednesday. Less than a week into the conflict, Israel says its aircraft have free rein over the city’s skies.
Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties, and Israel has eased some restrictions for civilians. Meanwhile, fear has gripped the Iranian capital as the streets are empty, businesses closed and communications patchy at best. Thousands have fled.
Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage” to them.
U.S. President Donald Trump initially distanced himself from Israel’s surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days has hinted at greater American involvement, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S. has also sent more military aircraft and warships to the region.
Here’s the latest:
The internet is down in Iran
Late Wednesday afternoon, internet access across Iran crashed. Authorities offered no immediate explanation.
Giant plume of smoke seen in eastern reaches of Tehran
Just after 4 p.m. local time, a likely Israeli airstrike sent a giant plume of gray smoke skyward in the eastern reaches of Tehran.
It wasn’t immediately clear what was targeted.
Israel eases some restrictions for civilians
Israel is easing some restrictions for civilians that have frozen the country in place over the past week, the military announced on Wednesday, six days into the confrontation with Iran.
While schools are still closed, people will begin returning to workplaces where there is access to shelters.
Restrictions are being eased further in areas along Israel’s periphery, which have been targeted fewer times than the country’s center.
“This decision to gradually open the economy in the various regions is a message of victory over the Iranian enemy,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday. Iran has fired fewer missiles as the conflict has worn on, allowing Israeli air defense systems greater accuracy with interceptions.
Iran state TV airs footage of Khamenei giving statement
State television has aired footage of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei giving a statement that was read out by a TV anchor a short while ago.
The footage strikingly contrasted against the high-quality recording typically produced of his speeches, with his voice echoing as he sat in a room with beige curtains behind him.
A portrait of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who Khamenei succeeded, was over his left shoulder, with an Iranian flag to his right.
Khamenei warned the United States that joining the Israeli strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them.”
Germany says Europe is open to negotiating with Iran
Germany’s foreign minister has underlined European countries’ willingness to talk to Iran about a solution to the crisis over its nuclear program. But he says there needs to be movement from Tehran.
Johann Wadephul said Wednesday that “it is never too late to come to the negotiating table, if you come with honest intentions.”
He spoke two days after he held a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi along with his French and British counterparts and the European Union foreign policy chief.
Wadephul said the European officials made clear that their countries –- which were part of Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers –- “still stand ready to negotiate on a solution.”
But he added that “Iran must now move urgently. Iran must take confidence-building and verifiable measures,” including a credible statement that Tehran is not striving for a nuclear weapon.
Over 400 EU citizens evacuated from Israel
The European Union has helped evacuated about 400 its citizens out of Israel via Jordan and Egypt as part of its efforts to coordinate emergency response to the conflict within the 27 nations of the bloc.
“Up till now, we have an estimate that over 400 EU citizens were repatriated via this civil protection mechanism of the EU,” said Eva Hrncirova in Brussels on Wednesday.
She said the EU was fielding requests by Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece and Poland for assistance in evacuating from the Middle East.
“Member states coordinate the list and we co-finance these flights up to the 75% of the transport costs,” she said.
Iran’s supreme leader warns US that joining Israeli strikes will ‘result in irreparable damage for them’
Iran’s supreme leader has warned the United States that joining the Israeli strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them.”
The comments by 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came in a statement read out by a state television anchor against a still image of the leader.
“Any military involvement by the U.S. in this field will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage for them,” the statement said.
In the message, Khamenei also urged officials to “continue their work with strength and trust in God.”
“God will certainly and surely make the Iranian nation ... victorious,” he said.
State television said that a video of Khamenei giving the same address would be aired later.
141 Greeks and other nationals evacuated from Israel via Egypt
Greece’s Foreign Ministry says the evacuees included citizens of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
They were flown to Athens early Wednesday from Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh on board two military transport planes, the ministry said.
Israel says its aircraft destr
oyed five Iranian attack helicopters
Israel’s military said it has destroyed five Iranian AH-1 attack helicopters at a base in western Iran in the Kermanshah area.
The Israelis published black-and-white video of the bombing destroying the helicopters.
Iran did not immediately comment.
Iran under the shah purchased some 200 of the Bell AH-1 SuperCobras, which remain in service as Iran is sanctioned internationally and broadly unable to purchase new weaponry.
Tehran’s streets are mostly empty
Streets in Iran’s capital, Tehran, again were deserted Wednesday amid the Israeli attacks.
Occasional cars and men on scooters sped past the closed shops and stores.
Hundreds of Pakistanis in Iran flee conflict
Hundreds of Pakistanis living in Iran have arrived at the Taftan border crossing on Wednesday as they make their way back home to Pakistan amid the conflict.
Telecom worker Ghulam Mustafa Ijaz said he was advised to leave Tehran with his family because the situation was becoming dangerous.
“We left everything behind and carried just one bag containing some necessities and food items,” Ijaz said. “We are five family members, but we carried just one bag. We just left, and left everything else there.”
Iran and Pakistan share a 900-kilometre (560-mile), largely lawless border where smugglers and militants roam freely.
Although Pakistan has shut some of the formal crossings, the ones at Taftan and Gabd-Rimdan in southwest Balochistan province remain open for nationals seeking to return home.
Pakistan has strongly condemned Israel’s attacks. It has denied that it will provide military assistance to Iran, including nuclear weapons.
Iranian ambassador derides Trump's comments calling for Iran to surrender
Iran’s ambassador in Geneva is deriding as “hostile” and “unwarranted” U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments calling for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”
Ambassador Ali Bahreini told reporters the Israeli campaign “has not been able to bring big damage to our nuclear facilities” because it had taken precautions to protect them.
Bahreini insisted that Iran has no intention to produce nuclear weapons, a top concern for Israeli authorities. He said “we will continue to produce the enriched uranium as far as we need for peaceful purposes.”
The ambassador rejected any talk of a “setback” on Iran’s nuclear research and technological activities caused by Israel’s military action, saying “our scientists will continue their work.”
Iranian officials acknowledge loss of a major radar system
Both the semiofficial Fars and ISNA news agencies reported Wednesday that a replacement system had been installed to replace its Soubashi radar site in western Iran.
The original Soubashi radar, located in the heights of Kaboudarahang County in Iran’s Hamedan province, played a crucial role in Iran’s air defense network, providing extensive coverage for western, northwestern, and southwestern Iran.
Hamedan has been repeatedly targeted in Israeli strikes since Israel’s campaign began Friday.
IAEA confirms Israel struck sites associated with Iran’s nuclear program around Tehran
“The IAEA has information that two centrifuge production facilities in Iran, the TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Center, were hit,” the International Atomic Energy Agency wrote on the social platform X.
Karaj is a city just outside of Tehran.
“At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested,” it added. “At Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured.”
Iranian ambassador says country to ‘respond strongly’
A top Iranian diplomat says his country will “respond strongly” to Israel’s “aggression” and will do so likewise against the United States if U.S. forces join the conflict between the rival Middle East powers as it moved into a sixth day on Wednesday.
Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador in Geneva, sought to project a defiant message from Tehran and defended its nuclear program as purely peaceful and designed for civilian use at a long-planned news conference with the United Nations press corps in the Swiss city.
US moving military aircraft to European bases
Overnight, the United States moved air force refueling tankers and C17s to European bases in Prestwick, Scotland, and Aviano in Italy, according to Aurora Intel, a group that reviews open source information in real time in the Middle East.
This comes as the U.S. is shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel from Iranian attacks as President Donald Trump warns Tehran to step back from the conflict.
On Tuesday, the U.S. relocated a dozen F-16s from the Italian base to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, said the group.
Iranian FM spokesman issues warning
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry issued a warning Wednesday that an American intervention in the ongoing Israeli strikes targeting his country would spark “an all-out war.”
Esmail Baghaei made the comments in an interview live on Al Jazeera English. It was his first in the ongoing conflict.
“I think any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region with very, very bad consequences for the whole international community,” Baghaei said.
Baghaei’s comments suggested that Iran believes that Gulf Arab countries wouldn’t allow the U.S. to launch attacks from any bases in their countries.
However, the U.S. has aircraft carriers and long-range bombers it could employ for any attack.
Asked if he thought the U.S. could control Israel, Baghaei grimaced and said “Not really.”
China's Xi calls for de-escalation ‘as soon as possible’
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East “as soon as possible” and said China is “deeply worried as Israel’s military operation against Iran has caused a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East.”
Xi, on a visit to the Kazakh capital Astana late Tuesday, added that China “opposes any actions that infringe upon sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of other countries.”
He added that “China is ready to work with all parties to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the Middle East.”
China has already called on all its nationals to leave Iran, with whom it has long maintained close trade and political ties.
First repatriation flights carrying stranded Israelis arrive in Tel Aviv
Two flights from Larnaca, Cyprus, landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport Wednesday morning, airport spokesperson Lisa Dvir said, marking the first flights to bring Israelis abroad back home since the Israel-Iran conflict began.
Footage showed the first plane gliding down the tarmac after landing in Tel Aviv.
Israel’s minister of transportation, Miri Regev, greeted the captain in the airport’s control tower.
“We are waiting for you here with great anticipation,” she told her in Hebrew. “Very excited, first rescue flight.”
Israel closed its airspace to commercial flights because of the multiple volleys of ballistic missiles launched toward the country each day by Iran.
Tens of thousands of Israelis are stranded abroad, according to Israeli media reports.
China tells its nationals to leave Iran
Chinese authorities are advising all their citizens still in Iran to leave as quickly as possible, citing the “increasing scale and intensity of the Iran-Israel conflict” and the possibility that land borders may soon be closed.
No figures on the number of Chinese nationals in the country were given in the notice issued online Tuesday by the Chinese embassy.
The two countries have long maintained strong trade ties, with China a major buyer of Iranian crude oil and Iran an importer of Chinese consumer goods.
Addresses were given in the notice for the Razi crossing with Turkey, the Nordooz crossing with Armenia, the Astara crossing with Azerbaijan and the Bajgiran crossing with Turkmenistan.
Egypt's FM holds calls with Iranian counterpart and U.S. envoy
Egypt’s top diplomat has held calls with both Iran’s foreign minister and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, Cairo and Tehran say.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held the calls Tuesday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Witkoff.
Abdelatty reportedly stressed “the necessity of working toward de-escalation in the region and resorting to diplomatic and political solutions that contribute to containing the escalating situation and averting the risk of a widespread conflagration in the Middle East.”
Abdelatty “underscored the imperative of achieving an immediate ceasefire and returning to the path of negotiations as the only means to reach a sustainable agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program,” his office said in a statement.
He “further emphasized the absence of military solutions to the crises currently facing the region.”
A social media account associated with Araghchi confirmed the calls took place.
U.S. officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Human rights group says 585 people killed in Iran
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 585 people and wounded 1,326 others, a human rights group said Wednesday.
The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 239 civilians and 126 security force personnel being killed.
Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.
Iran has not been offering regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people being killed and 1,277 others being wounded.
Israeli strikes hit Tehran
Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital early Wednesday after it issued a warning about a new area it could target.
One major explosion could be heard around 5 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, with other explosions booming earlier in the predawn darkness.
Authorities in Iran offered no acknowledgement of the attacks, which has become increasingly common as the Israeli airstrike campaign has intensified since they began on Friday.
The Israelis had warned they could strike a neighborhood south of Mehrabad International Airport.
That area includes residential neighborhoods, military installations, pharmaceutical companies and industrial firms.
Satellite photos show U.S. Navy ships out of Bahrain dock
Satellite images analyzed Wednesday by The Associated Press appear to show that there are no longer any vessels anchored off the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain as the strikes between Israel and Iran continue.
The images, taken Tuesday, show the main dock there without any ships against it.
Dispersing ships is a common safety technique employed by navies around the world in times of trouble.
Meanwhile Tuesday, local media reported that Bahrain conducted a test of its air raid sirens.
Iran has threatened to target U.S. military installations in the region, though there’s not been any attack so far since the Israeli campaign against Iran began on Friday.
