The armed conflict between Iran and Israel entered its fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, with continued airstrikes exchanged by both sides. As tensions escalated, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iranian civilians, calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. He cited Iran’s refusal to accept a deal aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions, repeating his long-held position that Tehran must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump said, “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’aa I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” The comment came as explosions and heavy air defence fire were reported across the Iranian capital early Tuesday. Iranian outlets confirmed rising smoke in the eastern parts of the city, and reported missile impacts in Natanz - home to a key nuclear site - where air defences were also activated.

Iranian media reported at least two people killed when Israeli forces targeted the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster late Monday. Footage from the scene showed a news presenter scrambling for safety as a blast rocked the building. Meanwhile, Israel said the strike was part of its continued campaign targeting key Iranian infrastructure.

At the same time, sirens sounded in Tel Aviv following reported incoming attacks, though no strikes were confirmed. Israeli officials reported 24 civilian deaths over five days, while Iran claimed 224 fatalities, the majority of them civilians. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich added that close to 3,000 residents had been displaced as a result of Iranian missile strikes.

Sources close to the matter said Tehran has requested mediation from Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to push President Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran signaled openness to renewed nuclear negotiations. “If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media. “Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue.”

Despite the intensified conflict, the White House is reportedly considering direct talks between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, although Reuters has not confirmed this. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced additional deployments to the region, stating the move is designed to reinforce U.S. defensive posture, without specifying what assets would be sent.

The war between Israel and Iran has developed into the largest direct confrontation between the two regional rivals to date. Israel began the current campaign with a surprise strike that reportedly wiped out much of Iran’s military leadership and its top nuclear scientists. Israeli officials now say they have full control of Iranian airspace and intend to escalate operations further in the coming days.

In a related development, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC that Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility had suffered significant damage, possibly destroying up to 15,000 centrifuges. The Fordow facility, however, was said to remain largely intact. Planned negotiations between Iran and the United States - set to be hosted by Oman on June 15 - were canceled by Tehran in response to ongoing Israeli attacks.

Meanwhile, the crisis prompted warnings from other governments. India confirmed that it had evacuated students from Tehran who lacked private means to travel, advising other citizens to leave the city while they could. Additional reports indicated that Indian nationals had also crossed into Armenia with assistance from the embassy in Iran.

The G7 summit, held in Canada, was dominated by the spiraling Middle East conflict. World leaders issued a joint statement reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself and declaring that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons. “We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” the statement read. It also referred to Iran as “the principal source of regional instability and terror” and called for broader de-escalation, including a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. President Trump left the summit early due to the situation.

French President Emmanuel Macron noted that Trump had proposed a ceasefire between Iran and Israel and welcomed the offer, saying it could pave the way for wider discussions. The G7 leaders also said they would keep a close eye on international energy markets and were prepared to coordinate with allies to ensure stability if needed.

In response to security threats and the closure of Israeli airspace, the Chinese embassy in Israel advised its citizens to leave the country via land borders at the earliest opportunity. The war, which now includes strikes on state institutions and nuclear facilities, continues to rattle the region and fuel fears of a broader escalation. Oil prices responded with a sharp increase of more than 2% in early Asian trading, reversing earlier losses as signs emerged that Iran might be open to ending hostilities.

Source:

• BBC
• Reuters
• DW
• Al Jazeera