The Israel-Iran conflict continues to escalate, with both countries exchanging fire and raising concerns about a potential wider war. Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, targeting nuclear facilities, including the Arak heavy water reactor, and military sites. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks, including a salvo of around 30 missiles targeting northern Israel, wounding over 200 people in Tel Aviv.
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with at least 639 people killed in Iran, including 263 civilians, and over 1,300 injured. In retaliation, Iran has launched around 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as “grave war crimes” at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The international community is urging de-escalation, with European powers emphasizing the need for ongoing discussions with Iran. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon,” while Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the conflict hasn’t led to a significant rise in oil prices, rendering OPEC+ intervention unnecessary. Putin also mentioned that oil prices have increased from $65 to around $75 per barrel due to the conflict.
The US has evacuated non-essential personnel from countries that could receive initial attacks against US personnel, and naval assets are moving towards the Middle East as defensive forces. US President Donald Trump will decide within the next two weeks whether the US military will directly get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict or not. Iran’s President Pezeshkian says the only way to end the “imposed war is to unconditionally stop enemy’s aggression”.
Diplomatic efforts are ongoing, with European-Iran talks in Geneva concluding with a statement outlining key points from the discussions. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a “trust gap” in talks and appealed for an end to the fighting and a return to serious negotiations. Countries around the world, including Australia, Austria, and India, are evacuating their citizens from Israel and Iran
