Tehran: The military conflict between Israel and Iran intensified further on Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of hostilities as both sides continued to pound fresh missile attacks at each other. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) even claimed to have launched a Fattah-1 hypersonic missile at Israel, the first use of this missile in the ongoing conflict, the BBC reported. Explosions were reported over Tel Aviv following early morning missile barrages from Iran, while Israeli airstrikes continued near Tehran, targeting suspected military infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the US media have reported that President Donald Trump is considering joining Israel’s ongoing strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The speculation of the US joining Israel in the conflict is fuelled by Trump’s abrupt departure from the G7 Summit and a string of ominous social media warnings.
Amid escalating tensions, Trump also held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, according to a report by Axios. At the same time, US officials confirmed that more American fighter jets are being deployed to the Middle East.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it launched a Fattah-1 missile towards Israel on Wednesday, according to the BBC. This marked the first reported use of the missile in the current conflict, though Iran had previously fired multiple Fattah-1s during its October 1, 2024 strike on Israel. The missile, first revealed in 2023, has been referred to by Iranian officials as the “Israel-striker”.
Iran even launched two waves of missile attacks at Israel, triggering explosions across Tel Aviv. In response, the Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes near the Iranian capital. Residents in Tehran’s District 18 were reportedly ordered to evacuate before the strikes. Iranian media confirmed explosions in both Tehran and Karaj.
Trump posted a string of aggressive messages on Truth Social, warning Iran’s leadership. He claimed the US knows the location of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but clarified, “We are not going to take him out (kill!) — at least not for now”. Trump warned, “Our patience is wearing thin”, before demanding Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” minutes later.
Amid fears of further escalation, the United States has deployed additional fighter aircraft to the Middle East. Some air missions already underway have been extended.A White House official confirmed that Trump convened a 90-minute meeting with the National Security Council on Tuesday to review possible courses of action. For now, US forces remain in a defensive posture.
Khamenei issued his first public statement since Trump’s ultimatum, vowing retaliation. In a post translated by Iran International, he wrote, “The battle begins. Ali returns to Khaybar”. Shortly after, he declared: “We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy”.
Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last monarch and an exiled opposition figure, called for regime change amid the escalating conflict. He claimed that Khamenei had “gone into hiding underground” and that the Islamic Republic was collapsing.
