17.06.2025, Moscow.
Donald Trump leaves G7 summit in Canada early, citing urgent need to address the Iran-Israel crisis, “As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something.”
The parties continue to carry out sporadic strikes on each other’s territory. However, it seems the main focus is now shifting to the US reaction to the situation and the potential actions of President Donald Trump.
Israeli Attacks
On the morning of June 17, Israel’s Ministry of Defense reported the elimination of Iran’s newly appointed Chief of the General Staff, Ali Shadmani. “The Israeli Air Force struck a command center in the heart of Tehran and killed Ali Shadmani,” the statement said.
On June 16, Israel hit the headquarters of Iranian state television during a live broadcast. The transmission was briefly interrupted, but anchor Sahar Emami, who was on air at the time, returned and continued the broadcast. Three people were killed in the strike.
Following Israeli attacks on June 14 in the area of Iran’s South Pars gas field, Iran partially suspended gas production there on June 16. South Pars accounts for about 70% of Iran’s gas output.
Regarding Iran’s nuclear facilities, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reported that radiation levels remain within normal limits. On June 13, four buildings were damaged at the Isfahan site: the central chemical laboratory, the uranium conversion plant, the fuel production facility for the Tehran reactor, and a uranium metal production facility under construction. On the same day, the power infrastructure and above-ground section of the fuel enrichment plant in Natanz were also destroyed. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor remain undamaged.
Iran has reportedly taken special measures to protect its uranium stockpiles and enrichment equipment.
Iranian Attacks
Iran began retaliatory strikes against Israel during the night of June 18 and continued into the morning. The Mossad intelligence headquarters in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, was targeted. According to SNN, a logistics center of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate Aman was also attacked.
Prior to that, Iran launched several strikes on Tel Aviv, with images and videos showing destruction. One Israeli air defense missile reportedly fell within the city.
There is no information on casualties so far.
Statements from Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined three main goals for the attacks on Iran: the destruction of the nuclear program, the missile production program, and the “axis of terror” (apparently referring to Iran’s coordination of the “axis of resistance”). “The overthrow of the Iranian regime could result from (Israel’s operation), because the regime is weak… We are changing the face of the Middle East, and we certainly see that enormous changes will occur in Iran,” Netanyahu stated. He likened the situation to the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel does not rule out the possibility of eliminating Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Responding to critics in the US calling on the US president to stop supporting Israel, Netanyahu said he understands the slogan “America First,” but not “America is Dead.”
“This regime, terrorizing everyone in the Middle East, has been stoking conflict for half a century. Eternal war is what Iran wants, and they are pushing us to the brink of nuclear war. In fact, what Israel is doing is preventing nuclear war, ending this aggression, and we can only do that by standing up to the forces of evil. They chant ‘Death to America,’” the Israeli leader declared.
Statements from Iran
US newspapers and outlets report that Iran, through Arab intermediaries, has approached the US requesting pressure on Israel to cease military actions and resume negotiations.
Reuters claimed that Tehran asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman to pressure US President Donald Trump to use his influence over Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire with Iran in exchange for Tehran’s flexibility in nuclear negotiations.
The WSJ writes that Iran is signaling a willingness to negotiate. Arab diplomats who have spoken with Iran noted that Iranians are convinced the US supports Israel, but they want guarantees that Washington will not join the strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Trump only needs to make one phone call to “rein in” Netanyahu and thus pave the way for diplomacy.
At the same time, Iran reports that if the opposing side does not choose diplomacy, the country is ready for a prolonged conflict.
“We have considered all options and are prepared for any war scenario. We are not afraid of a protracted war, and in the coming days the world will see what innovations Iran will bring to the battlefield,” said IRGC commander’s advisor Ahmad Vahidi.
US Reaction
The prominent British magazine The Economist writes that the Israel-Iran conflict has entered a war of attrition phase: Tel Aviv aims to drag the US into war.
Donald Trump left the G7 summit in Canada early on June 16, citing the urgent need to address the Iran-Israel crisis. “As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something,” Trump said.
The Jerusalem Post reports that the US should present Iran with a final offer, improved but based on the US principle of a complete cessation of uranium enrichment.
The New York Times also notes that Trump is contemplating whether to engage militarily to help Israel destroy the deeply buried uranium enrichment facility in Fordow, accessible only with US bunker-buster bombs dropped by B-2 bombers.
The US-Israeli outlet Axios emphasizes that destroying Iran’s nuclear program requires bombs Israel does not possess. President Trump is leveraging this to pressure Iran, a senior American source told Axios.
Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim reported Israeli attempts to strike Fordow with missiles, but no impact occurred. The New York Times wrote that the facility houses Iran’s most advanced centrifuges, and if not destroyed, a key technology of the country’s nuclear program will survive.
CNN reports that Trump has instructed his administration to arrange a meeting with Iranian officials as soon as possible.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
