Israel and Iran have continued attacks on each other after President Donald Trump demanded an “unconditional surrender” from Tehran and declared the US knew where its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was hiding.
Many residents of Tehran have fled their homes as uncertainty and tension continue to grip the city. In Tel Aviv, people remain in shelters as schools and other public gatherings are banned to protect residents from Iranian attacks.
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The conflict between Israel and Iran has now entered the sixth day, and casualties have continued to increase.
A major explosion rang out in Tehran around 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning, following a series of earlier blasts that shook the city in the predawn hours.
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Israel has continued to argue that its attack on the country is necessary to prevent Iran from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon.
The Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran. The strikes have also damaged military and civilian buildings, including nuclear facilities, oil and gas facilities and a TV station.
However, Iran has continued to retaliate by launching about 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. Iranian attacks have also damaged civilian and military facilities, including military training buildings and oil refineries.
Attacks from Iran have led to the death of more than 24 Israelis since the war began on Friday.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Israel started the war by attacking Iran on Friday, two days before Iran was due to resume nuclear talks with the US in Oman.
Tehran has since pulled out of the talks, describing the talks as pointless while Israel continued to attack.
US backs Israel
The US, which had earlier distanced itself from the attack on Iran, has begun hinting that it may join the war following pressure from Israeli leaders, the Israeli lobby in the US and pro-Israel Americans.
On Tuesday, President Trump joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ask Iranians living in Tehran to evacuate.
“IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” He wrote.
Hours later, he stated that Iran’s supreme leader is safe for now as the US has not decided to kill him yet.
He said, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.
“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
President Trump left the G7 summit in Canada a day early to address the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters, “I’m not looking at a ceasefire. We’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”
Despite the warning that “patience is wearing thin,” he disclosed that diplomatic talks remained an option.
The Associated Press reported that the US has begun repositioning military aircraft and warships in and around the Middle East to shield Israel from Iranian attacks.
However, any deeper US involvement may cause major political risks for Mr Trump, who had positioned himself as the harbinger of peace.
Despite the threats by the US and Israel, though, Iran continued its retaliatory attacks on Israel and issued its own warnings to residents of Tel Aviv and Haifa to vacate the cities.
Arab, Islamic countries condemn Israel
On Tuesday, 21 Arab and Islamic countries in a joint statement condemned the ongoing Israeli military aggression.
The joint statement voiced deep concern over this dangerous escalation, warning that it could have grave implications for peace and stability across the entire region.
The countries also stressed the importance of “respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states” and “upholding the principles of good neighbourliness and the peaceful resolution of disputes.”
China, which had earlier condemned Israel for starting the war, has also supported the joint statement against Israel.
READ ALSO: Israel-Iran War: Trump demands Irans ‘unconditional surrender, threatens Ayatollah Khamenei
The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, and Pakistan.
Others are: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, the statement emphasises respect for state sovereignty, territorial integrity, good-neighbourly relations, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
