Since last Friday, Iran’s missile attacks on Israel have killed at least 14 people, including three children. This was reported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an official statement. According to health authorities, 390 people were also wounded. However, internal sources in Iran report 406 dead and 654 wounded. Casualties on both sides include both civilians and military personnel.
The attacks are a direct response to the massive Israeli raid on military targets and sensitive infrastructure in Iran, including sites linked to the nuclear program and the Defense Ministry in Tehran. International sources confirm that the Israeli operation resulted in at least 78 deaths in Iran, including IRGC (Revolutionary Guards) officers and nuclear technicians.
Overnight, warning sirens sounded in numerous Israeli cities, with explosions heard in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam and Tamra, where civilian buildings were also hit. According to the Guardian and The Times, Iran used long-range ballistic missiles, some of which evaded air defense systems.
Meanwhile, Israel responded by striking more than 200 targets in Iran, including installations in Natanz and military headquarters. The international community fears a dangerous spiral of escalation, while the UN and several Western governments are calling for an immediate ceasefire. For its part, Iran has stated that attacks will continue as long as Israeli aggression continues.
President Donald Trump, who has always been one of Israel’s staunchest allies, denied any direct US involvement in the recent attacks against Iran, stressing that Washington “is not currently part of military operations.” However, at the same time, a rumor picked up by NBC News revealed potentially explosive background information: according to confidential sources, the United States and Israel had explicitly discussed the possibility of physically eliminating Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the same sources, this plan did not receive the green light from the White House. In fact, an administration spokesperson confirmed in the afternoon that Washington had categorically rejected the idea of authorizing a targeted assassination operation against the Islamic Republic’s top political and religious leader.
This revelation, if confirmed, could radically shift Israel’s official narrative, which until now has justified the offensive as a defensive response aimed at neutralizing the nuclear threat. The idea that the real goal may be regime change and not just the destruction of the atomic infrastructure raises disturbing questions and risks further exacerbating tensions, even with more cautious Western allies.
