Israel Warns of Further Strikes as Middle East Conflict Deepens After Iran’s Retaliation

A residential building in Tel Aviv that was struck by an Iranian missile on Saturday, June 14, 2025

TEL AVIV/TEHRAN — June 14, 2025

Israel signaled Saturday that more strikes on Iran could be imminent, following a deadly Iranian missile and drone retaliation overnight that killed at least three people and wounded dozens in central Israel. The escalation comes just one day after Israel launched its largest coordinated attack ever on Iran, targeting key military and nuclear sites and killing top Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

In the aftermath, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Iran would "pay a heavy price for harming Israeli citizens," and the Israeli military said its fighter jets were “set to resume striking targets in Tehran.”

Israel’s initial Friday attack involved warplanes and drones reportedly smuggled into Iran in advance. The strikes destroyed or severely damaged parts of the Natanz enrichment plant—where uranium was being enriched to 60% purity—and other key facilities in Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Borujerd. Images released Saturday by Planet Labs and verified by analysts show significant damage at two major ballistic missile bases in Kermanshah and Tabriz.

Israeli security forces inspect residential buildings that were destroyed by a missile from Iran in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Saturday, June 14, 2025

Iran's U.N. Ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded in the Israeli strikes, including top commanders and two nuclear scientists. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei quickly named Gen. Majid Mousavi as the new aerospace commander of the Revolutionary Guard after Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh was killed.

In response, Iran launched “under 100” missiles and dozens of drones, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems. However, several projectiles breached defenses, hitting civilian areas in Tel Aviv and surrounding regions, damaging homes and killing at least three people. Over 40 were injured, some critically.

Israel also reported that seven of its soldiers were lightly wounded in Iranian strikes.

The fallout from the attacks has triggered widespread alarm across the region. Egypt condemned Israel’s actions as a “serious escalation,” while Jordan and Lebanon temporarily closed their airspace. Syria, which also briefly closed its skies, reopened routes Saturday while warning of continued monitoring.

A person looks at a residential building that were destroyed by a missile from Iran in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Saturday, June 14, 2025

The conflict has derailed diplomatic efforts: Iran has pulled out of the nuclear talks with the U.S. scheduled for Sunday in Oman. Iranian official Abbas Araghchi told the EU’s top diplomat that further negotiations were “unjustifiable” amid continued Israeli aggression. Iran also accused the United States of being complicit in the attacks, a claim the White House has not responded to.

Meanwhile, U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA confirmed that multiple Iranian nuclear sites, including Natanz and Isfahan, were targeted but reported no off-site radiological hazards. However, officials warned of chemical contamination around Natanz, as power-supplying facilities were destroyed.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also acknowledged attacks on missile infrastructure and military barracks across the country. State media reported deaths of additional top officers, including Gen. Gholamreza Mehrabi and Gen. Mehdi Rabbani, as well as destruction at military-industrial sites like the Zagros Khodro facility in Borujerd.

Satelite image shows an Iranian Missile base near Kermanshah, Iran, after an Israeli strike on Friday, June 13, 2025

In a stark message, Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar called the strikes of “operational and national significance,” underscoring Israel's intent to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure.

Natural gas disruptions have also started to ripple beyond the battlefield. Israel has paused gas exports to Egypt, exacerbating Cairo’s ongoing energy shortages and prompting the Egyptian Petroleum Ministry to suspend gas supply to some industries.

Amid fears of a broader war, world leaders are urging restraint. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the situation “dangerous,” while Britain, France, and Germany issued statements either urging de-escalation or affirming Israel’s right to self-defense. Russia condemned Israel’s attack and offered to mediate.

Still, with both nations vowing continued military action, and casualties mounting, the region teeters on the edge of a wider, potentially uncontrollable conflict.