Israel-Iran war: Key things that happened in the last 24 hours

The Iran-Israel war is still at a boiling point as it unfolds further. The last 24 hours have been extremely eventful. Israel continued air strikes on Iran, targeting multiple military facilities. Further, the US’s involvement in the conflict has increased. Here are the key developments in the Iran-Israel war.

War enters its eighth day

Israel continued its operation Rising Lion, with 50 war planes striking Iran’s military assets, weapons-production facilities and centrifuge plants in Tehran. Nearly 20 targets were hit, though the extent of damage remains uncertain. Among these was the Isfahan nuclear facility in Iran, which is the region’s largest nuclear research complex. Since the operation began, over 220 people have been killed in Tehran and 24 in Israel.

Severe damage at nuclear facilities: IAEA

The Natanz nuclear facility, which is Iran’s biggest nuclear enrichment facility, faced severe damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the Nataz facility may have suffered severe damage, if not fully destroyed. The agency also fears of radioactive leak in the region, which is yet to be confirmed. Along with Natanz, the Tabriz North missile base, Shiraz missile production facility, Piransh facility, and Isfahan nuclear technology centre also suffered heavy damage.

Iran’s responds with force

Iran also continued its attacks on Israel with another barrage of ballistic missiles on Tel Aviv. On June 19, Iran carried out missile attacks, which wounded 240 peopl, including 80 at Soroka medical centre. Tehran claimed it fired Fatah hypersonic missiles towards Israel in the latest overnight strikes. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted on X, “In the name of the noble Haidar, the battle begins,” apparently ignoring US demands to engage in talks with Israel.

US steps up involvement

The US President, Donald Trump, has been actively intervening in the conflict. Some media reports suggested Trump's involvement in strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Further, Trump doubled down on his demands for de-escalation from Iran, apparently asking for an “unconditional surrender” on his social media handle on Truth Social. In his earlier post, he also advised the citizens to evacuate Tehran. President Trump also said, he will decide on strikes on Iran in two weeks.

The Indian Embassy urges Indians to leave Tehran

Amid the escalating situation in Iran, the Indian Embassy in Iran has urged all Indian nationals to leave Tehran and move to a safer place. A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy. Other residents, who were self-sufficient in terms of transport, are advised to move out of the city. Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia.”

Global markets under pressure, commodities on fire

Global markets continued to remain under pressure for the entire week as escalated situation soured investor sentiments for stocks across the globe. Meanwhile, commodity prices gained traction as gold prices continued to hover around record-high levels and traded near $3,400 per ounce. The crude oil prices rose nearly 6% as uncertainty looms over the Strait of Hormuz, which is under the control of Iran.

In conclusion, the situation is fast evolving and expected to remain volatile as world leaders wait for a better sense to prevail between the two nations. The ramifications of the conflict are expected to be wider, with global superpowers like the US getting actively involved in the conflict.