05.30 BST
Major
explosion reported in Tehran as Trump calls for ‘unconditional surrender’
Speculation
is mounting about whether the US will directly engage by lending military
support to Israel, or push for negotiations between the two countries.
If you
are just tuning in, here is a quick summary of what you need to know.
Israel’s
defence forces said they launched a fresh wave of strikes on Tehran in the
early hours of Wednesday morning, warning residents in parts of the city to
urgently evacuate. “Dear citizens, for your safety and well-being, we urgently
request that you immediately evacuate the designated area in Tehran’s Area 18.
Your presence in this area puts your life at risk,” the IDF posted on social
media.
Residents
in Tehran are fleeing the capital, with witnesses citing strong explosions
hitting buildings in western and eastern parts of Tehran on Tuesday evening,
the Associated Press reported. On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic
stood bumper to bumper, and long lines also could be seen at gas stations.
However, the impact and extent of any damage from the latest round of Israeli
strikes remains unclear.
In
Israel, the IDF said that families across the country had sought shelter due to
missile launches from Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday
that hypersonic missiles were used during the latest attack on Israel. The
extent to which they caused any damage also remains unclear.
Responding
to the ongoing conflict, Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei vowed on X that
Iran would retaliate. “We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist
regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,” he said.
Those
messages were posted after Donald Trump wrote on social media that the United
States knows the location of the Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei, adding that the US
would not kill him “for now” but called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender”.
In an
apparent response to the president’s post, senator Bernie Sanders said the
president “must not take illegal military action against Iran”. Yesterday,
Democratic senator Tim Kaine also introduced a war powers resolution that would
prohibit US armed forces from taking direct action against Iran without
explicit authorisation from Congress or a declaration of war.
Israeli
defence minister Israel Katz said that Iran’s supreme leader could face the
same fate as Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a US-led
invasion and was eventually hanged after a trial.
Following
a Situation Room briefing with members of his national security team, Trump is
evaluating whether to lend his support to Israel by targeting Iranian nuclear
facilities. Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility is located beneath a mountain that
will be difficult for Israeli forces to penetrate without the assistance of the
United States, which is the only country that possesses bombs that can break
through the underground bunker.
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