Israel claims killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard general

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

Israeli military says it has killed Iran's wartime chief of staff

Israel said on Tuesday that it had killed a high-ranking Iranian military figure whom it has described as Iran's top general.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said General Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters — part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — had died in a strike on Tehran.

Iran did not immediately acknowledge the reported death, which, if confirmed, would add to a growing list of leading Iranian military figures killed in Israeli strikes.

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

Israeli military says 'extensive strikes' conducted in western Iran

Israel's military says it conducted "several extensive strikes" on military targets in western Iran overnight to Tuesday.

"During the strikes, dozens of surface-to-surface missile storage and launch infrastructure were struck," the military said in a statement on X.

"In addition, surface-to-air missile launchers and UAV storage sites were struck in western Iran," it added.

The statement included a video seeming to show hits on surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile launchers.

Israel also carried out attacks on the Iranian capital, Tehran, with Iranian media reporting explosions and heavy air defense fire in the city early on Tuesday.

Iranian media said there were also Israeli strikes in Iran's southern provinces on the shores of the Persian Gulf overnight.

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

India says it has moved students out of Tehran

A number of Indian students were studying in Tehran when conflict broke out on FridayImage: Kyodo/picture alliance

India's Ministry of External Affairs has said it is evacuating Indian students from the Iranian capital who have no means to travel themselves, and is advising others who have the means to do so to leave the city for safety reasons.

"Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the embassy. Other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city in view of the developing situation," a statement on the ministry's website said.

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

G7 joint statement says Iran 'the principal source of regional instability'

Leaders at the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Canada have come up with a statement supporting Israel's right to self-defense while agreeing that Iran "can never have a nuclear weapon."

"We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," the statement read.

The agreement on the statement was reached on Monday evening, shortly after the White House announced that US President Donald Trump would leave the meeting early amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

The statement called Iran "the principal source of regional instability and terror" and said the leaders hoped for a "broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza."

The statement also said that the G7 would continue to monitor international energy markets closely and is prepared to take coordinated measures "with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability."

G7 leaders called for de-escalation in the Middle East, but also condemned Iran in the same statementImage: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo/picture alliance

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

US confirms additional deployments in Middle East

Aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, already stationed in the Middle East, is to be joined by another carrier without delayImage: Tyler R. Fraser/U.S. Navy/Handout/ABACAPRESS.COM/picture alliance

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East. 

"These deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region," he posted on X on Monday.

He didn't give any details what these military capabilities could be.

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

Chinese embassy in Israel urges citizens to leave

China's embassy in Israel has urged Chinese citizens to return home or leave the country via land border crossings as soon as possible.

"At present, the Israeli-Iranian conflict continues to escalate, with civilian facilities damaged and civilian casualties increasing, making the security situation even more severe," the embassy warned in a Tuesday notice on WeChat.

The notice recommended Chinese citizens to leave via the land crossing towards Jordan.

Israel has closed its main international Ben Gurion Airport "until further notice."

Three land border crossings between Israel and Jordan are open, according to broadcaster Al Jazeera. 

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'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' says Trump

US President Donald Trump has urged residents of Tehran to leave after Israel hit the Iranian capital earlier on Monday with a barrage of heavy missile attacks at multiple locations.

"Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

Tehran has a population of nearly 10 million people.

"Iran should have signed the "deal" I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again!" Trump posted. 

The United States and Iran were in the middle of negotiations over Iran's nuclear program when Israel launched its attack on Friday. 

Iran said it couldn't go ahead with a meeting scheduled for Sunday while it was being attacked by Israel. 

Trump is leaving the G7 summit in Canada early, his press secretary said, "because of what is going on in the Middle East."

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

Explosions heard across Iran

Iran International is among the media organizations reporting multiple explosions across Iran's southern provinces on the shores of the Persian Gulf.

Cities where explosions were reported on Monday night into Tuesday morning include Ahvaz, Bushehr, Dezful, Bandar Abba, the London-based broadcaster said.

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Summary: What happened on Monday, day 4 of conflict?

Israel issued evacuation orders for a northern district of Tehran. 

The Israeli military said it would attack military infrastructure in a part of the Iranian capital and warned residents to leave immediately. 

Earlier in the evening, an Israeli strike hit the offices of Iran's state broadcaster. 

Footage from the IRIB broadcaster showed a live broadcast interrupted by loud explosions. The broadcast resumed after a short pause. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's strikes have set Iran's nuclear program back a "long time." 

He also said that Israel wasn't attempting to topple the Iranian government. But, he said, he wouldn't be surprised if that happened.

In other developments, hours after Israel attacked the state broadcaster's building, Iran issued evacuation warnings for Israel's N12 and N14 news channels.

It said it would strike Israel without interruption overnight from Monday to Tuesday.

So far, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 injured.

Meanwhile, Iran's Health Ministry said early on Monday that 224 people have been killed since the Israeli attacks began early Friday.

06/17/2025June 17, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Welcome to DW's coverage of the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

In addition to the latest news, this blog will bring you photos and videos, analysis and on-the-ground reporting from DW correspondents.