The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified sharply, with nearly 600 people killed in Iran due to Israeli airstrikes, according to a Washington-based human rights group. The strikes, now entering the sixth consecutive day, have also targeted Iran’s underground nuclear infrastructure, as confirmed by the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

Israelis begin returning home from abroad

On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, flights took off from Cyprus carrying Israelis back home amid the conflict. According to airport sources and online flight trackers, several planes departed after Israel’s Transportation Ministry announced that 150,000 Israelis were currently abroad, with around a third of them actively trying to return to the country.

These flights mark the first significant movement of Israelis returning since the conflict escalated. Israel has ramped up diplomatic and logistical efforts to bring back its citizens, using Cyprus and Greece as primary transit points.

Strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets

Israel’s military confirmed that it had carried out fresh airstrikes targeting a centrifuge production facility, weapons manufacturing plants, and military command centres in Iran. One of the most high-profile claims came with the killing of Iran’s wartime Chief of Staff, a significant escalation in the hostilities between the two countries.

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), verified that Israel had struck an underground nuclear facility used for centrifuge production. The attack raises serious concerns about the vulnerability of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure during wartime and the potential for regional nuclear instability.

Civilian death toll and casualties

According to the Human Rights Activists group, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 585 people across Iran since the conflict began. Among the dead, 239 were civilians and 126 were members of Iranian security forces. The group added that 1,326 others had been injured, many of them critically.

The casualty figures are among the highest reported in any single episode of the Iran-Israel conflict, underscoring the intensity and scale of Israeli operations inside Iranian territory. The capital city Tehran was hit by intense airstrikes as Israel responded to Iran's threats of expanding the battlefield.

Iranian government response

Iran has responded with a mix of military action, propaganda, and cybersecurity warnings. On Tuesday afternoon, Iranian state television urged citizens to remove WhatsApp from their phones, accusing the messaging app of transmitting user data to Israel. No technical evidence was provided to support the claim.

In a significant announcement, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that hypersonic missiles had been used in the latest strike on Israel. If confirmed, this would mark the first use of hypersonic weaponry in the current conflict, raising the stakes significantly for regional and global powers watching the escalation.

Trump demands unconditional surrender

The situation escalated further after US President Donald Trump issued a stern demand on Tuesday for Iran to offer an unconditional surrender. The statement, delivered at a press conference in Washington, drew global attention and added pressure on both sides to either escalate or de-escalate swiftly.

Israel has continued to strike back hard after this announcement, suggesting it sees the US position as supportive of its current operations.

Background and escalation timeline

The Israel-Iran conflict has been simmering for decades, but the current escalation is among the most violent and destructive yet. Events unfolded rapidly after Iran was accused of a drone strike on northern Israel, prompting a series of coordinated Israeli air raids across Iran’s territory.

Military analysts suggest that Israel's objectives include:

• Neutralising Iran’s nuclear capabilities

• Disrupting weapons supply lines to proxies like Hezbollah

• Eliminating key figures in Iran’s wartime leadership

International reaction

The international community remains deeply concerned. The United Nations Security Council held an emergency closed-door meeting on Wednesday to discuss the conflict. No resolution was passed, but several member states, including France, Russia, and India, called for immediate de-escalation and humanitarian access.

Humanitarian agencies report that essential services in several Iranian cities have been disrupted. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and some areas are facing water and electricity shortages due to infrastructure damage from airstrikes.

Israel’s military stance

Israel's defence leadership has made clear it does not intend to back down. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a briefing:

We are targeting military infrastructure with precision. We regret civilian casualties but hold the Iranian regime responsible for using civilian areas to shield military operations

Israel continues to maintain high alert along its borders with Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, fearing potential retaliatory strikes by Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

What lies ahead

As the conflict stretches into its second week, both sides show no sign of de-escalating. Analysts suggest a broader regional war could erupt if either country crosses new red lines — such as striking nuclear reactors or attacking diplomatic facilities.

With 150,000 Israelis abroad, a damaged Iranian nuclear facility, nearly 600 casualties, and the first use of hypersonic missiles, this episode represents one of the most dangerous periods in the Middle East in recent memory.

The next few days will likely determine whether this crisis expands into a wider regional conflict, or moves toward a fragile ceasefire negotiated through international diplomacy.

Let me know if you need a timeline infographic, a map of key strike locations, or a profile of Iran's wartime leadership next.

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