TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Saturday that the country has not yet decided whether to take part in the sixth round of indirect talks with the United States scheduled to be held in Oman on Sunday.

In an interview with state-run IRIB TV, Baghaei stressed that Iran finds it inconceivable that recent Israeli airstrikes on its territory were conducted without coordination with, or at least the tacit approval of, the United States.

It was not acceptable for "the other side" to claim readiness for dialogue on one hand, while on the other, allowing Israel to perpetrate an act of "aggression" against Iran's territorial integrity, Baghaei said.

He added that Israel had always sought to draw Western states into a conflict in the West Asia region. This time, Israel once again had succeeded in derailing a diplomatic process, which proved that US policymakers were highly under Israel's influence, the spokesperson said.

Starting since April, Iran and the United States have held five rounds of Omani-mediated indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of US sanctions. The sixth round was scheduled to be held on Sunday in the Omani capital Muscat.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said earlier this week that an agreement with the United States to ensure the "continued peaceful nature" of Tehran's nuclear program was "within reach."

Israel early Friday launched airstrikes on Iran's capital Tehran and other cities across the country with the aim of crippling Iran's nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile production, and military capabilities.

Iran on Friday night responded to the attacks by launching a salvo of ballistic missiles against military targets in Israel.

TEHRAN - Israel on Saturday carried out fresh attacks on a number of Iran's western and northwestern cities, the semi-official Mehr News Agency reported.

Several explosion sounds were heard in the western city of Kermanshah as a result of the strikes, the report said, adding an explosion was also heard near the western city of Khorrambad in Lorestan province.

The air defense has been activated in Kermanshah, according to Mehr.

Also, on Saturday morning Israel carried out attacks targeting areas around the northwestern city of Tabriz, said Majid Farshi, director general of East Azarbaijan province's crisis management department.

He added that an Israeli drone was downed by the city's air defense.

According to Mehr, no damage was inflicted on Tabriz's refinery in the Israeli attacks, and the facility is working at full capacity.

Israel early Friday launched airstrike on the Iranian capital Tehran and other cities across the country.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were assassinated in the airstrikes.

JERUSALEM - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Saturday that it had killed nine senior Iranian nuclear scientists and experts.

The statement said the nine were struck by Israeli fighter jets, guided by the IDF's Intelligence Directorate, at the beginning of the Israeli operation in Iran early Friday morning.

The scientists served as significant "knowledge centers" in the Iranian nuclear project and possessed decades of accumulated experience in the development of nuclear weapons, it added, noting that among them were experts in nuclear engineering, physics, chemical engineering, materials engineering, and mechanics.

The Israeli military stated that one of its targets in launching airstrikes against Iran was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear arms, but Iran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons.

Israel early Friday launched airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were killed in the airstrikes.

In retaliation for the Israeli strikes, late Friday, the IRGC announced that it launched a military operation against "tens of" targets, military centers, and aerial bases in Israel.

TEHRAN - Iran's kamikaze drones of the Arash type hit and destroyed targets in Israel on Saturday morning, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

Arash is an unmanned aerial vehicle with an operational range of over 2,000 km designed and developed by Iran's military experts.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said in a statement on Friday that it had launched a military operation against dozens of targets, including military centers and aerial bases in Israel, in retaliation for Israel's airstrikes, in which a number of high-ranking Iranian military commanders, prominent nuclear scientists and innocent civilians were killed earlier in the day.

TEHRAN -- At least 60 people, including 20 children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a 14-story building in a residential complex in the Iranian capital Tehran on Friday morning, state-run IRIB TV reported Saturday.

The residential complex, named Martyr Chamran, is located northeast of Tehran, and was among the places hit by Israel in its airstrikes on different parts of the capital and other Iranian cities, the report said.

According to IRIB TV, as the debris removal operations continue, some 38 people have been pulled out of the rubble.

It added of those still beneath the rubble, 10 were children, including infants under nine months old.

Israel early Friday launched airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were killed in the airstrikes.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasized that Israeli aggression will be met with an appropriate response and that Iran has never pursued nuclear weaponry.

Pezeshkian described the Israeli strikes on Iran as a blatant violation of international law, noting that Israel is seeking to create and expand tensions in the region, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency or IRNA of Iran.

Regarding the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, the Iranian president stated that the Islamic Republic "has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons and is ready to provide assurances to relevant international authorities in this regard".

Earlier, Iranian officials said they are seeking cooperation with Russia in developing civilian use of nuclear energy.

While Pezeshkian expressed gratitude to Putin for Russia's solidarity in Friday's phone call, Putin offered condolences to the Iranian leadership and people "in connection with the heavy loss of life caused by Israeli strikes," according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

Putin said that Russia is ready to mediate to help de-escalate tensions, IRNA reported.

The Russian president also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone late Friday. Putin stressed that "Russia condemns Israel's actions, which were carried out in violation of the UN Charter and international law," Interfax said.

Putin stressed the importance of returning to the process of talks and resolution of all issues concerning Iran's nuclear program "strictly through political and diplomatic means," according to Interfax.

A United Nations conference planned to be hosted by France and Saudi Arabia to work toward a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine has been postponed amid escalating tensions after Israel's military strikes on Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.

Macron said logistically, neither the Palestinian Authority nor Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman could attend the conference scheduled for June 17-20 in New York due to the military escalation in the region.

Both Israel and Iran have closed their airspace amid missile and drone attacks, while flights in other countries have also been disrupted by the conflict.

Macron said the meeting would be rescheduled as soon as possible.

"This postponement cannot undermine our determination to move forward with the implementation of the two-state solution," Macron told a news conference in Paris."Whatever the circumstances, I have stated my determination to recognize the State of Palestine."

The US administration sent a diplomatic cable earlier this week discouraging governments from attending the conference, according to a Reuters report.

The Saudi Crown Prince on Friday talked by phone with Macron as well as US President Donald Trump about the latest development in the region, according to Arab News.

Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince discussed the critical importance of de-escalation and resolving all disputes through diplomatic means, the Saudi Press Agency reported. They also stressed the need for continued joint work to achieve security, peace, and stability in the Middle East.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have suffered from severe famine and Israeli bombings and shootings that caused dozens of civilian deaths almost daily.

Iran's ballistic missiles and drones have caused explosions inside Israel in its serious wave of retaliation, midnight Friday and early Saturday, according to the Iranian Armed Forces.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said in brief statements after the strikes that dozens of Israeli targets, including military sites and airbases, were hit in pinpoint strikes, according to intelligence collected by them.

Targets included Israeli military bases used to initiate the unprovoked strikes on Iran, as well as industrial weapon manufacturing and other military sites deep in Israel, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said air defenses intercepted suspicious aerial targets, which triggered sirens across the country, including in the Eilat and Arava areas, according to The Times of Israel. The casualties are yet to be confirmed, though dozens were reported as injured despite warnings of shelter taking.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, just before the Iranian strikes began, said in a televised speech to the nation that the Israeli regime would not be able to walk away from the strikes on Iran unharmed.

"Strong action should be taken, and will be taken," the Iranian leader said. "We will have no leniency on them. Life will undoubtedly turn bleak for them".

Iranian media reported more than 100 people dead or wounded were accounted for already in Israel's sudden attacks against Iran early Friday, including in residential areas apart from nuclear sites and military facilities.

TEHRAN/JERUSALEM - Iran's air defense has downed two Israeli Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets as well as a large number of micro aerial vehicles, capturing a female Israeli pilot, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

The Iranian army has not officially confirmed the report.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rejected the report. In a statement, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee called the allegations "completely baseless."

The statements come amid heightened tensions following Israel's large-scale strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, which have raised fears of broader regional escalation.

Iran's state-run Press TV reported that Iranian air defenses had shot down an Israeli drone near the Fordow nuclear facility, located close to the central city of Qom.

Early Friday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's UN envoy, said that at least 78 people were killed as a result of Israel's strikes, while 320 others were injured, most of whom were civilians.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were killed in the Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.

Late Friday, Israel reported that Iran launched nearly 100 missiles toward central and northern Israel in two massive barrages, causing significant damage and injuring 41 people, two of whom are in critical condition.

Israel carried out sudden, massive airstrikes against Iran on Friday, targeting its nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders, as the first waves of a military operation. Observers said regional tensions were expected to escalate as Iran launched drone attacks in retaliation.

Calling it a "decisive moment in Israel's history", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video speech that "Operation Rising Lion" would continue for days or as long as necessary.

In possibly the most significant attacks against Iran since the 1980s, the Israeli military said that nearly 200 Israeli fighter jets participated in the operation, striking some 100 Iranian targets. In response, Iran launched more than 100 drones against Israel, with both Iraq and Jordan confirming that the drones had flown over their airspace.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement on Friday that Israel had "unleashed its wicked and bloody" hand in a crime against Iran.

"The regime should await a harsh response," Khamenei said. "With this crime, the Zionist regime sealed for itself a bitter and painful destiny and will definitely see that (destiny) brought upon it." In a letter to the United Nations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Israel's attack as a "declaration of war" and "called on the Security Council to immediately address this issue", Iran's Foreign Ministry said.

Iran announced it will withdraw from nuclear negotiations with the United States on Sunday in Muscat, Oman.

The Israeli strikes targeted nuclear facilities in the cities of Tabriz, Isfahan, Arak and Kermanshah across Iran. Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Hossein Salami and Iranian armed forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri were both assassinated. Two new leaders were promptly named to take their positions on Friday, Iranian media reported.

Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that six Iranian nuclear scientists were also killed.

The US tried to distance itself from the Israeli operation, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that Tel Aviv had acted unilaterally in self-defense. However, an Israeli official told Israel's public broadcaster Kan that Israel had coordinated with Washington.

In his first public comment about the attacks, US President Donald Trump again urged Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear program, warning that Israel's attacks "will only get worse". Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.

Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official and an analyst, said the timing of Israel's strikes on Iran reflects a convergence of interests between Trump and Netanyahu.

"From Trump's perspective, as long as the US is not directly militarily involved, there is an advantage to a situation in which Israel takes military action aimed at forcing Iran back to negotiations from a significantly weaker position," he said.

Israel temporarily closed all of its diplomatic missions worldwide as its military operation in Iran continued, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Agencies contributed to this story.

The international community has condemned Israel's latest airstrikes on Iran and called for restraint, with observers saying the massive attacks on Friday morning could further complicate peace efforts and overshadow the dire situation in Gaza.

"I condemn any military escalation in the Middle East," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

"I'm particularly concerned about Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran at a time when contacts are taking place between Iran and the United States regarding the status of the Iranian nuclear program."

He called for maximum restraint from all sides to prevent the confrontation from escalating.

Beijing has expressed deep concern over the potential grave consequences of Israel's wide-ranging strikes, urging all parties to avoid further escalation of the tensions.

"China opposes actions that violate Iran's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular news conference on Friday.

China opposes moves that escalate tensions and enlarge conflicts, and stands ready to play a constructive role in helping ease the situation, Lin said.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Al-Budaiwi condemned Israel's aggression against Iran as a "blatant violation of international law" under the UN Charter, Kuwait News Agency reported.

He called on the international community and the UN Security Council to take responsibility and end this aggression immediately, warning that further escalation would undermine regional and international peace.

GCC members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the Israeli airstrikes in separate statements.

More difficult situation

Liu Zhongmin, a professor of Middle East studies at Shanghai International Studies University, said Israel chose to take a more aggressive strategy to attack Iran at a time when the US' ability to control the Middle East has declined and when Iran is in a more difficult situation.

"Unlike the previous two conflicts between Israel and Iran, this latest one is more serious in nature, larger in scale, exposing Iran, Israel and the US to the risk of another escalation of the conflict or even a war," he said.

Ali Khansari, an international affairs analyst and graduate of regional studies at Allameh Tabataba'i University in Teheran, told China Daily, "This latest confrontation highlights the fragile security architecture of the Middle East and raises questions about the effectiveness of conventional deterrence models."

The international community — including China, the European Union, the US, and energy-importing countries such as Japan — is likely to intensify efforts to prevent further deterioration, he said.

Rasha Al Joundy, a senior researcher at the Dubai Public Policy Research Centre, said Israel would not have begun the operation unless it knows US President Donald Trump is frustrated with Iran.

"And (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu found this is the time the US wouldn't mind an operation against Iran militarily and nuclear facilities because it will not be considered as sabotaging US negotiations since it is already stalled," she said.

Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, said the attacks appeared to be far more significant in scope and depth and certainly "unprecedented in scale".

The strikes took place ahead of a high-level conference on the two-state solution, which is scheduled to take place next week and will be chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.

A UN meeting in New York last month emphasized the need for next week's conference to go beyond reaffirming principles and achieve concrete results on the ground.

"We must urgently move from words to deeds. We must move from ending the war in Gaza to ending the conflict itself," said Anne-Claire Legendre, Middle East and North Africa adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Mike Gu in Hong Kong and Wang Qingyun in Beijing contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com

VIENNA -- China condemns Israel's military action against Iran and opposes armed attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities, a Chinese envoy said Friday at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

During the IAEA Board of Governors meeting over Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, Li Song, China's permanent representative to the IAEA, said China has always been committed to promoting a peaceful solution to the Iran nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means, and opposes resorting to force and illegal unilateral sanctions. The country will maintain close communication with all parties and jointly deal with the current urgency at the IAEA Board of Governors, Li said.

Noting that China is seriously concerned about the negative impact of the current conditions on the prospects of diplomatic negotiations, Li urged relevant countries to avoid actions that may worsen the situation and to support the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.

He said China will continue to support political and diplomatic efforts around the Iran nuclear issue in a highly responsible, objective, and fair manner, firmly safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism, and uphold peace and stability in the Middle East.

During the meeting, dozens of IAEA member states expressed serious concern about the relevant conditions, and many developing countries strongly condemned Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Citing a number of resolutions adopted by the IAEA General Conference, the parties indicated that attacks or threats of attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities violate the principles of the UN Charter, international law and the IAEA Statute, posing a serious threat to nuclear safety, nuclear security, regional and international peace and security. The parties emphasized that political and diplomatic approaches are the right option to resolve the Iran nuclear issue, and called on the international community to continue unremitting efforts to this end.

At the meeting, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stressed that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment. "Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security, and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security," Grossi said.

BRUSSELS -- Israel launched a large-scale strike on Iranian military and nuclear targets early Friday, prompting swift retaliation from Tehran and escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The ripple effects are felt across Europe, where governments are grappling with renewed volatility in energy markets, disrupted air traffic, and mounting fears of a broader regional conflict.

CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the situation as "deeply alarming" and urged all parties to "exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate immediately and refrain from retaliation."

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed those concerns, warning that the region's stability was at risk and calling for "maximum restraint." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz similarly urged caution and warned against any further destabilization.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer appealed for all sides to "step back and reduce tensions," while Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker stressed that "further escalation is the last thing this region needs."

In a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for an immediate return to negotiations. Starmer has also called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging de-escalation and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof added on X that "immediate de-escalation is essential in the interest of stability in the region."

IMPACT ON TRAVELS

As tensions escalated, several European governments updated their travel advisories and airlines began scaling back operations in the region.

France's foreign ministry urged citizens to avoid all travel to Iran and Israel, advising those already there to remain extremely vigilant. Romania and the Czech Republic issued similar warnings, with Prague specifically urging its nationals to leave Iran amid fears of further military strikes.

Meanwhile, flight disruptions spread rapidly across Europe. Multiple carriers suspended services to affected areas throughout Friday. According to Eurocontrol, around 1,800 Europe-bound or outbound flights were impacted, including approximately 650 cancellations.

France suspended all commercial flights to Iran and Israel, while Dutch airline KLM canceled its Friday service from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv.

Germany's Lufthansa extended its suspension of flights to Tehran through July 31 and broadened its no-fly zone to include Tel Aviv, Amman (Jordan), Erbil (Iraq), and Beirut (Lebanon).

The Lufthansa Group said all affiliated airlines -- Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings -- would avoid Iranian and Israeli airspace until further notice.

In the Czech Republic, Prague Airport canceled all Tel Aviv departures and arrivals for Friday and Saturday, citing security risks.

The growing airspace restrictions also affected official missions. Polish President Andrzej Duda's return flight from Singapore was delayed due to regional airspace closures.

Meanwhile, Lithuania, preparing for a possible evacuation of citizens from Israel, reported a Tel Aviv-bound flight cancellation and began assessing alternative evacuation routes, according to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the country's National Crisis Management Center.

VOLATILE MARKETS, RISING ECONOMIC FEARS

European markets slumped on Friday as Israel's strike on Iran rattled investor confidence and deepened global risk aversion.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.89 percent to 544.94 points by 1800 GMT, hitting a three-week low and extending losses for a fifth straight session, the longest losing streak since September 2024.

Every sector except oil and gas closed in negative territory, with travel and leisure stocks leading declines with a sharp 2.6 percent drop. Major indices across the continent posted losses, with Germany's DAX suffering the steepest decline at 1.5 percent.

Economists warned that continued escalation between Israel and Iran could further damage investor sentiment and undermine the already fragile recovery in the eurozone.

The Israel-Iran situation may currently be felt in Europe mainly through rising prices driven by surging energy and oil costs, Peeter Koppel, head of investments at Estonia's Redgate Wealth, said in comments to local media.

He cautioned that a more severe economic impact could follow if Iran blocks maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.

Carsten Brzeski, head of macro research at ING, said a significant escalation could erode consumer and business confidence across the euro area, dragging down demand and investment.

Over time, the combination of elevated energy prices and prolonged uncertainty could introduce a "stagflationary element" to the eurozone outlook, Brzeski warned, a scenario in which high inflation and weak growth become entrenched.

TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Friday it launched a military operation against "tens of" targets, military centers, and aerial bases in Israel.

The IRGC said that the "crushing and precise" response was in retaliation for Israel's "aggression" against areas in Iran and the killing of high-ranking Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, including children, according to the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.

According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iran's air defense has downed two Israeli Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets as well as a large number of micro aerial vehicles (MAVs), capturing a female Israeli pilot.

The operation began after Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, vowed in a televised message that the Iranian armed forces would make Israel "miserable."

Early Friday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC's Chief Commander Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were assassinated in the Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Following the attacks, the Iranian leader said in another message that Israel must wait for a harsh punishment for its "crime" against Iran.

TEHRAN -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday vowed that the Iranian armed forces will make Israel "miserable" as dozens of missiles were launched at Israel Friday night.

Khamenei made the remarks in a message to the Iranian people while reacting to Israeli attacks earlier in the day, according to his website.

Iran's leader said the Iranian armed forces would act with strength and would make the "despicable" Israel "miserable," adding that Israel would not escape this "crime" unscathed.

According to state-run IRIB TV, the Aerospace Division of Iran's IRGC launched tens of ballistic missiles against military targets and fighter jet bases inside Israel Friday night.

Early Friday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across the country.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were assassinated in the Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.

Following the attacks, the Iranian leader said in another message that Israel must wait for a harsh punishment for its "crime" against Iran.

JERUSALEM -- Dozens of missiles were fired from Iran into Israel on Friday evening, according to statements issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Following the launches, sirens were activated in wide areas of central and northern Israel, and explosions were heard, resulting from interceptions or fallen projectiles, the IDF added.

Explosions were heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, according to Xinhua reporters.

Local TV Channel 12 said about 150 to 200 missiles were fired in 3 barrages.

Israel's national emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA), noted that seven people were slightly injured, while the police reported property damage.

JERUSALEM -- Israel Defense Forces spokesman Effie Defrin said in a video briefing that Israeli air force fighter jets had completed an attack on the Isfahan nuclear facility in central Iran on Friday evening.

It added that the strike was carried out with precise guidance from the IDF Intelligence Directorate.

The IDF claimed that the site was undergoing a uranium re-enrichment process, the next stage after enriching uranium in the nuclear weapons production process.

The attack destroyed a uranium metal production facility, an infrastructure for converting enriched uranium, laboratories, and other infrastructure, it added.

Meanwhile, Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said on Friday that it "continues with full force and at a high pace to meet the goals we have set," regarding the Israeli Air Force operation in Iran.

Speaking in a situation assessment with senior commanders, Zamir added that "there will be difficult moments... We are facing a dangerous and complex enemy, and we must maintain a very high level of readiness and discipline are required on the home front," according to a statement issued by the IDF.

Earlier on Friday, the IDF said in a statement that its fighter jets carried out a precision-guided airstrike on the Natanz nuclear facility overnight.

The facility, located in Isfahan province, is Iran's largest uranium enrichment site, which has been operating for years "to obtain nuclear weapons and contains the infrastructure required for military-grade enrichment," the statement claimed.

The director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, on Friday told the agency's board of governors that "nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment".

In a statement, Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA is currently in contact with the Iranian nuclear safety authorities to ascertain the status of relevant nuclear facilities after airstrikes by Israel, and to assess any wider impact on nuclear safety and security.

"At present, the competent Iranian authorities have confirmed that the Natanz enrichment site has been impacted and that there are no elevated radiation levels," he said. "They have also reported that at present, the Esfahan and Fordow sites have not been impacted."

Addressing the air strikes, he said, "This development is deeply concerning ... such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security."

According to media reports, at least six nuclear scientists are known to be among those killed in the strikes.

Israel said its actions were a preemptive move targeting what it called Iran's program to develop nuclear weapons and to "neutralize an immediate and existential threat to our people". Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.

Earlier, Iran rejected what it called the IAEA board's "anti-Iran resolution", which alleged inappropriate Iranian progress in nuclear enrichment.

According to a report by the Islamic Republic News Agency, a joint statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran on Thursday said that in response to the resolution, a new uranium enrichment facility had been ordered in a "secure location" and "first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment site would be replaced with sixth-generation machines".

TEHRAN -- Iran's nuclear chief said on Friday that no radiation leak "of concern" had occurred following Israel's airstrike on the Natanz nuclear facility in central Isfahan province.

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), told state broadcaster IRIB that the attack had targeted the site repeatedly to inflict maximum damage, but caused only limited surface-level equipment losses and no casualties.

"We had no radiation leak that could worry people, and there was no significant harm in this regard," Eslami said. "We are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage."

Earlier on Friday, Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing at least 78 people and wounding 329 in the capital alone, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Among those reported killed in Tehran were top military officials, including the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters Commander Gholam-Ali Rashid, and IRGC Aerospace Division Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

In response, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation, warning that Israel must "await a harsh punishment" for what he called a "crime" against the country.

Iran has announced its withdrawal from the new round of nuclear negotiations with the United States, which was scheduled to take place in Muscat, Oman on Sunday.

Oman News Agency and Iranian state television reported that the talks, diplomatic efforts aimed at restricting Iran's nuclear program, have been suspended until further notice, a decision that follows the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

The cancelled session had been expected to address disagreements over uranium enrichment limits and US sanctions relief.

Several previous rounds of US-Iran talks, at which Iran has rejected US demands to end all nuclear programs, have been held in Oman. US President Donald Trump has expressed his hope that Iran should make a deal with the US on the nuclear issue to avoid more attacks.