MIDDLE EAST IN TURMOIL: ISRAEL AND IRAN EXCHANGE ATTACKS, DEATH TOLL MOUNTS

A dramatic escalation in the Middle East conflict saw Israel launch attacks on Iranian nuclear sites and military installations, resulting in 78 deaths and over 320 injuries, according to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations. The ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, told the UN Security Council that the “overwhelming majority” of victims were civilians, including women and children. Iravani condemned the attacks as “barbaric and criminal,” stating that they constituted “clear acts of state terrorism and flagrant violation of international law.”

In response, Iran fired a barrage of long-range missiles targeting Israel’s commercial capital, Tel Aviv, wounding at least 34 people, according to Israel’s paramedic service. The missiles posed a significant challenge to Israel’s sophisticated air-defense system, which has intercepted projectiles from various sources since the start of the war on October 7, 2023.

The Israeli military had planned the strikes for months, aiming “to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He added that Israel would continue to defend itself against Iranian aggression. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed revenge, warning that Iran would not allow Israel to “escape safely from this great crime they committed.”

US President Donald Trump urged Iran to make a deal “before it is too late,” while Russian President Vladimir Putin called for de-escalation during separate calls with Netanyahu and Iranian leaders. Putin emphasized that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved through diplomatic means and offered to help mediate.

The attacks targeted nuclear enrichment sites, a refinery, and Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, killing top military leaders and nuclear scientists. Among the dead were six prominent nuclear scientists, including Fereydoun Abbasi, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation.

The strikes also destroyed the above-ground section of Iran’s main nuclear facility at Natanz, according to UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi. The facility’s electrical infrastructure and emergency power generators were damaged, and a section where uranium was enriched up to 60% was destroyed.

The conflict has sparked concerns about the global economy, with crude prices jumping 7.3% amid fears of limited oil flow from Iran, a major producer. The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.3%.