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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-06-16 at 14:05
HEADLINES
1. Israel Launches Decisive Strikes, Destroys Third of Iran’s Missiles
2. Tehran Evacuates Amid Israel’s Urgent Military Operations
3. Iran’s Leadership Faces Turmoil as Israeli Attacks Mount
The time is now 10:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Today’s top story centers on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, with significant developments across multiple fronts. The Israeli Defense Forces have issued an urgent evacuation order for residents in specific areas of Tehran, citing imminent military operations aimed at targeting Iran’s military infrastructure. This warning, issued in Arabic by IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee, underscores Israel’s calculated efforts to diminish Iran’s missile capabilities and military assets in the region.
In a striking display of Israeli military strength, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Tel Nof airbase, reaffirming Israel’s control over the skies above Tehran and other Iranian territories. Israeli warplanes have destroyed over a third of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers since Operation Rising Lion commenced last Friday, significantly reducing Iran’s capacity to launch large-scale missile attacks. Israeli officials report that more than 120 missile launchers have been eliminated in rapid strikes across central and Tehran regions, with some targeted in real time as they attempted to flee, notably through convoys of trucks laden with missile systems.
Despite these setbacks for Iran, the conflict’s toll remains high. Over the past days, Iran has launched more than 370 missiles at Israel, resulting in 24 Israeli fatalities and over 590 injuries. The Israeli missile defense systems, bolstered by American THAAD and Patriot systems, have intercepted the majority of these projectiles, yet some have impacted urban areas, causing casualties and damage. Notably, a missile strike on the northern city of Haifa resulted in three deaths, with victims believed to have suffocated amid fires and smoke. In Bnei Brak, an elderly man was killed when a missile directly struck the Aleh special education center, causing extensive structural damage. Authorities have since issued updated emergency protocols, urging civilians to remain near reinforced shelters, as further attacks are anticipated.
Meanwhile, in Iran, the situation remains tense. The regime has reportedly sealed off the highway between Tehran and Khomein, fearing a mass exodus amid intensified hostilities. Iranian state sources deny reports that top military advisor Ali Khamenei was targeted or injured in recent Israeli strikes, although speculation persists about his physical and political stability. Iran’s Supreme Leader, aged 86, faces mounting internal and external pressures, with some analysts suggesting that Israel’s precise and effective strikes could accelerate internal factional struggles or even threaten his survival.
International reactions reflect the gravity of the situation. The United States under the Trump administration has maintained a stance of strategic ambiguity, providing intelligence and logistical support to Israel while refraining from direct military intervention. Israeli officials assert that they have total air superiority over Iran, a claim supported by operational data indicating the destruction of approximately one-third of Iran’s missile launchers and the disruption of multiple supply routes for missile shipments, including targeted strikes on trucks attempting to transport weapons toward Tehran.
Complicating regional stability, Iran continues its proxy efforts, with ongoing Houthi missile and drone attacks from Yemen, and Hezbollah’s weakened state following Israeli strikes. The Lebanese group has suffered significant losses, and reports from Iranian opposition sources suggest internal disputes and attempts at regime destabilization.
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