Israel and Iran exchange deadly strikes as Trump warns Tehran, urges peace deal

JERUSALEM/TEHRAN – June 15, 2025 — A new and deadly round of Israeli and Iranian attacks left scores dead and raised fears of a wider regional war on Sunday, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran against retaliating against American interests while claiming the conflict “could be ended easily.”

In Israel, rescue teams searched the rubble of homes and apartment buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles. At least 10 people, including three children, were killed in the latest barrage, with more than 140 injured. The northern Arab town of Tamra and the central city of Bat Yam were among the worst hit. In Tamra, four women—including a mother and her two daughters—were killed. In Bat Yam, six people died when Iranian missiles leveled a cluster of residential buildings.

Iranian officials said the death toll from Israeli strikes had risen to at least 138 since Friday, with 60 of those deaths—half of them children—occurring on Saturday alone, when a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran was brought down by a missile.

Israel’s military warned civilians near weapons facilities in Iran to evacuate, as the Israeli government signaled that its campaign was far from over. A senior Israeli official said the military still had a “long list of targets” in Iran, including two “dual-use” fuel sites that support military and nuclear operations.

While Trump praised Israel’s actions and denied that the United States was directly involved, he warned Iran not to retaliate against U.S. assets: “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict.”

Trump’s statement comes amid suspended nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, which had been scheduled to resume in Oman on Sunday. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused Israel of trying to sabotage the negotiations and said the Israeli offensive had been carried out with U.S. support—a claim Washington denies.

Israel’s strikes targeted Iran’s Shahran oil depot and an oil refinery near Tehran, causing fires and limited damage. Iran also reported that production at the South Pars gas field—the largest in the world—was partially suspended due to an Israeli missile strike. Araqchi described the attack as “a blatant aggression and a very dangerous act,” accusing Israel of attempting to drag the conflict into the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian military said its response was based on self-defense and that it had no intention of expanding the war unless “forced.” Iranian officials reported the arrest of two suspected Mossad agents in Alborz province and said they would continue retaliatory strikes if Israeli attacks persisted.

On Saturday night, air raid sirens blared across Israel as missiles rained down from Iran and its allies. Around 2:30 a.m., another wave of projectiles was detected, prompting warnings and intercepts over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen also claimed to have launched missiles toward Jaffa near Tel Aviv—marking the first confirmed participation of an Iranian proxy in the current fighting.

However, Iran’s traditional support network of proxies—Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon—has been weakened by recent wars, reducing Tehran’s regional leverage. Israeli officials said one of the overnight strikes targeted the Houthis’ chief of staff.

Iran does not want conflict with Israel to expand but will defend itself

Despite heavy Israeli bombardment, Iranian officials said most of their energy infrastructure remains intact, though they confirmed “minor damage” to the defense ministry and fire damage at several facilities. Araqchi reiterated that Iran had no desire for wider war and said its responses would cease if Israel ended its aggression.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared on Thursday that Iran had violated its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel, which is not a signatory to the treaty and is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, says its attacks are aimed at halting Iran’s atomic ambitions and missile programs.

Meanwhile, fears of economic fallout from the conflict continue to mount. Global oil prices spiked by 9% on Friday, and regional stock markets showed signs of strain on Sunday. Tel Aviv’s stock exchange opened lower before rebounding, while Saudi shares fell 1.5%.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israeli operations will continue, urging Iranian citizens to rise against their rulers. Araqchi responded by condemning Israel’s actions and accusing it of violating international law by targeting civilian infrastructure.

With the situation worsening and the death toll rising, international actors are calling for de-escalation. The United Nations is expected to hold an emergency session next week, but prospects for a ceasefire remain distant.