Israel carries out strikes in Tehran as defense minister sends warning to Iranian proxy

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently made a proposal on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, which was detailed by Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the U.N.

The proposal includes the position that promoting a ceasefire and ending hostilities is an urgent priority, the stance that ensuring the safety of civilians is of the utmost importance, stressing that opening dialogue and negotiation is the "fundamental way forward" and ensuring that efforts by the international community to promote peace are "indispensable."

Cong reiterated Xi's proposal at Friday's Security Council meeting called by China, Pakistan and Russia.

The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is urging Americans not to travel to Iraq and avoid large gatherings if they must be in the country after US interests in Iraq have been targeted by Iran.

The U.S. State Department maintains a level four "do not travel" advisory for Iraq, saying that Americans should not travel to the country for any reason.

The embassy advises Americans who must travel to Iraq to avoid large gatherings and crowds, keep their phone charged and update their loved ones of their status as well as enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive information and alerts and make it easier to locate them in an emergency overseas.

Americans were also encouraged to prepare a plan for emergencies.

Two drones launched toward Israel from Iran were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force, according to the Israeli Defense Forces.

"The Air Force continues to intercept aerial threats: Two drones were intercepted in the Arava," the IDF wrote on X.

"Following alerts that were activated regarding the intrusion of hostile aircraft at 10:16 in Tzokim, and at 10:29 in Grufit and Blutan, the Air Force intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles that were launched from Iran towards Israeli territory," the IDF continued.

The Israeli Defense Forces said it killed a commander of the Quds Force’s Weapons Transfer Unit in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in a strike in western Iran.

Behnam Shahriyari "was responsible for all weapons transfers from the Iranian regime to its proxies across the Middle East in order to directly advance the Iranian regime’s plan to destroy Israel," the IDF said.

"Shahriyari also commanded the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars annually to various terrorist organizations," it continued. "Furthermore, he led the extensive effort to finance and arm these terrorist organizations—an effort that has resulted in the deaths and injuries of many Israeli civilians and soldiers."

He was killed while traveling in western Iran, the IDF said.

"His elimination represents a severe blow to the ability of the terrorist organizations surrounding Israel to regroup and strengthen after being heavily damaged by the IDF during the war," the IDF said.

The head of the Palestinian Division in the Quds Force from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards was killed in an Israeli strike in the Iranian city of Qom, according to the Israeli Defense Forces.

The IDF said Saeed Izadi was also a "key coordinator between the Iranian regime and Hamas, and one of the main orchestrators of the October 7 massacre."

"He was responsible for military coordination between the senior commanders of the IRGC and the Iranian regime with key figures in Hamas," it said.

"As part of his role, Izadi was responsible for increasing the financial funding from Iran to Hamas for terrorist activities against Israel," the IDF said. "During the war, he was also responsible for directing Hamas forces operating from Lebanon. Since then, he has been committed to rebuilding Hamas' military wing and ensuring that Hamas remains the controlling authority in Gaza."

An Israeli Air Force naval ship attacked a military building in Lebanon belonging to the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah, as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran continues.

"Last night, an Israeli Air Force naval vessel attacked a military building belonging to Hezbollah's Radwan Force in the Naqoura area in southern Lebanon," an IDF spokesperson wrote on X.

"The building was criminalized based on intelligence information obtained following an investigation into a Hezbollah member several weeks ago," he continued. "The Radwan Force used this building to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

The spokesperson added: "The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel."

The Israeli Defense Forces said it killed the commander of the second unmanned aerial vehicle unit in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Air Force.

"Yesterday, the Air Force attacked and eliminated Amin For Judkhi, commander of the second unmanned aerial vehicle unit in the Revolutionary Guards' Air Force, using fighter jets," the IDF wrote on X.

The IDF said he promoted hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicle launches toward Israel from the Ahvaz area in southwestern Iran.

"After the assassination of Tahar Fur, commander of the Revolutionary Guards Air Force's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command, on June 13, 2025, Jodachi assumed a central role in the command's operations," the IDF wrote.

India's Embassy in Iran said it is evacuating Indian citizens from Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Iran and Israel.

"The Indian Embassy in Iran is evacuating all Indian Nationals in Iran," the embassy wrote on X.

Hundreds of U.S. citizens have left Iran using land routes over the past week amid the new and ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, according to an internal State Department cable.

Many Americans departed Iran with no issues, but "numerous" U.S. citizens had faced "delays and harassment" while attempting to leave, the cable said, according to Reuters.

One unidentified family said two U.S. citizens attempting to leave Iran had been detained, the cable, dated Friday, said.

In a travel alert earlier on Friday, the State Department urged its citizens wanting to leave Iran to use land routes through Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey.

Iranian airspace is closed as the conflict with Israel continues.

The U.S. Embassy in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat has requested entry for over 100 American citizens, but the Turkmenistan government has not given its approval, the cable said.

Iran treats Iranian-U.S. dual citizens solely as Iranian nationals, the State Department noted.

"U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest and detention in Iran," the alert said.

Washington is looking at ways to potentially evacuate its citizens from Israel, but it has almost no way of helping Americans inside Iran.

People gather on a hill to watch smoke rising in the distance from an Israeli airstrike in Tehran, Iran, on June 14, 2025. Iran's foreign minister said the country would respond "decisively and proportionally" to a wave of attacks that Israel launched beginning in the early hours of June 13. The attacks targeted multiple military, scientific and residential locations, as well as senior government officials.

The U.S. Embassy in Israel evacuated 79 staff and families while tensions continue to mount between Israel and Iran.

Internal State Department memos show that the military flight left Tel Aviv for Sofia, Bulgaria according to a report by the Associated Press. 

More than 6,400 U.S. citizens out of the roughly 700,000 currently in Israel have applied on Friday asking for information on how to be safely evacuated according to the memo. 

An additional 3,265 have asked for emergency numbers to seek assistance. 

It is estimated that up to 500 people per day will need evacuation assistance if the U.S. decides to help getting Americans out -- something U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said is up for consideration.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters told reporters people were looking for information and support on how to depart. 

A document from Iran according to the AP says that at least 84 U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents had crossed into neighboring Azerbaijan. 

There are an additional 774 people being given permission to enter as of Friday. 

Other U.S. citizens and Green Card holders are waiting to be allowed to travel from Iran to neighboring Turkmenistan.

The FBI is increasing its monitoring of Iran-backed operatives in the U.S. as President Donald Trump weighs involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, a senior law enforcement source confirmed to Fox News Friday.

The monitoring reportedly includes surveillance of possible sleeper cells linked to the Tehran-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah, according to CBS News. The Lebanon-based terror group also got a clear warning from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz not to join the conflict.

The decision to increase monitoring comes just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Iran was plotting to assassinate Trump because the regime saw him as a threat to its nuclear program.

"They want to kill him. He's enemy No. 1. He's a decisive leader. He never took the path that others took to try to bargain with them in a way that is weak, giving them basically a pathway to enrich uranium, which means a pathway to the bomb, padding it with billions and billions of dollars," the prime minister told Fox News' Bret Baier during a Sunday edition of "Special Report."

While Trump has called for an "unconditional surrender," he has yet to decide whether to involve the U.S. in the conflict. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday he would make a decision within two weeks.

This is an excerpt of an article from Fox News' Lucas Y. Tomlinson and Rachel Wolf.

Iran’s foreign minister made clear Friday that Tehran has no intention of negotiating with the United States, despite recent American overtures aimed at de-escalating the current crisis.

“We are not seeking negotiations. It is the Americans who want talks,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a meeting with European officials in Geneva. “They've sent messages several times, very serious ones. But we made it explicitly clear to them that as long as this aggression and invasion continues, there's absolutely no room for talk or diplomacy.”

The remarks come as Iran continues to absorb and respond to Israeli airstrikes targeting its military infrastructure. Araghchi insisted that Iran is engaged in “legitimate self-defense” and declared that this defense “will not stop under any circumstances.”

“We have nothing to discuss with the United States, which is a partner in these crimes,” he added.

A senior Iranian official also reportedly told Reuters that Tehran “undoubtedly rejects” any demand to halt uranium enrichment, especially in light of the Israeli military campaign.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced a fresh round of airstrikes early Saturday, targeting missile storage and launch infrastructure in central Iran.

"The Air Force has now begun a wave of attacks against missile storage and launch infrastructure in central Iran," the IAF said on X (@IAFsite), originally posting in Hebrew.

This new phase of operations follows earlier overnight strikes confirmed by the IDF, which said around 15 Israeli fighter jets struck missile launch sites in western Iran, using more than 30 precision weapons.

Dramatic footage released by the military showed pilots tracking and launching attacks from inside the cockpit.

One aviator can be heard saying in Hebrew, “We see the target, we go into action,” before shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle.

The IDF reported that Israel’s air defense systems successfully intercepted more than 15 drones launched from Iran into Israeli territory over the past 24 hours.

Speaking with Fox News Digital in the halls of the U.S. Capitol, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., slammed Trump for pulling the U.S. out of a nuclear agreement of which Iran was a part during his first term. 

"The way to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon is through negotiation," she said. "We actually had that deal, and Donald Trump threw it out the window.""That means we lost our inspectors, we lost the plans that had been made," she continued.

"Right now, we need more deconfliction in the area. We need to bring down the temperature between Israel and Iran. That's what's best for Israel and Iran, it's what's best for the region and for the whole world," said Warren.

Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also blamed Trump, saying, "He’s the one who put us out the deal in the first place," which she said "very much so" contributed to the ongoing conflict.

While he said the U.S. should not be involved in bombing missions or any other military action against Iran, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said, "What we should do is continue to provide Israel with all the tools they need to defend themselves.""I hope the president will continue to promote a diplomatic solution that we had until he tore it up," said Kaine.

Meanwhile, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats, told Fox News Digital that the "question is can it be resolved without our involvement." He said he hopes Iran "will see the light and decide they don't need to keep developing nuclear fuel."

On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital that he believes Trump "standing unshakably with the nation of Israel" is the right move to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

"Israel is being incredibly effective with their military strike against Iran. They've taken out the senior military leadership, the leaders who would wage a war have been one after the other after the other surgically taken out by Israel. They are also taking out missile launch sites, and they're taking out nuclear research sites, the sites where Iran is working to develop a nuclear weapon," Cruz explained.

"Deterrence is always the key," said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Ohio. "This president has been very clear he's all about peace, and he doesn't want to use the might of the United States unless we absolutely have to. I believe deterrence is the best foreign policy, because it shows peace through strength."

That being said, Mullin said Trump has he's been "very clear for over a decade: In no way are we going to allow the Iranian regime, who is the number one sponsor of terror around the world, to have a nuclear weapon."

"So, we need to be prepared to back up Israel if they're not able to do the job, then we need to be able to finish it," he said."

This is an excerpt of an article from Fox News' Peter Pinedo.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Friday responded after President Donald Trump said she was "wrong" about Iranian nuclear weapon capabilities.

Gabbard said media reports took her comments out of context.

In a post on X, she wrote, “The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division. America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can’t happen, and I agree.”

Gabbard’s shared testimony from a hearing in March emphasized that while Iran has not restarted its nuclear weapons program, U.S. intelligence is watching closely.

“The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003,” she told lawmakers.

However, she noted a shift in Iranian rhetoric and record-high uranium enrichment levels.

The office of DNI Tulsi Gabbard did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that the potential for global conflict is increasing, and he called for solutions to be found “preferably by peaceful means,” as the Israel-Iran war continues to escalate.

“It is disturbing. I am speaking without any irony, without any jokes,” Putin said when asked whether he feared the world was heading toward World War III. “Of course, there is a lot of conflict potential. It is growing, and it is right under our noses. And it affects us directly.”

The Russian leader’s remarks follow a warning from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said this week that any assassination attempt on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be a “Pandora’s box” scenario with far-reaching consequences.

Peskov also predicted that such a move would trigger a wave of support for the Iranian regime.

On The Story with Martha MacCallum, Fox News senior foreign correspondent Benjamin Hall noted that Russia’s recent comments reflect deep concern over the potential collapse of Iran’s regime, one of Moscow’s closest strategic partners.

“Iran is part of that coalition between Russia, Iran, and North Korea,” Hall said. “If Iran were to fall… that takes a big ally away from Russia, and they would do everything they can to try and shore them up.”

Hall also pointed to China’s involvement in the region, highlighting reports of Chinese planes flying into Iran, possibly to evacuate personnel or reinforce diplomatic support. Iran exports over 1 million barrels of oil per day to China, proving Beijing's economic interest in the country’s stability.

According to Hall, Putin’s government is also watching closely to ensure no precedent is set for the assassination of a nation’s leader.

“They do not want to send a message that you can get rid of the leader of a country because you are at war with them,” Hall said. “That is Putin’s own spokesman saying that.”

Russia, China, and other key players appear to be working behind the scenes to preserve Iran’s leadership and avoid a broader confrontation.

European and Iranian negotiators ended their talks in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday without a clear breakthrough, but diplomats told The Associated Press they were hopeful of more discussions with the Iranians.

The talks with Iran come a day after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message from President Trump, stating, "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks."

One former Pentagon official says there is an important issue that is not being discussed.

"If Iran gives up its nuclear program as Trump has demanded, there's another problem we're not talking about, which is how do we get all the nuclear material outside of Iran," Michael Rubin, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow, told Fox News Digital.

Rubin, who has lived in post-revolution Iran, Yemen, and both pre- and postwar Iraq, mentioned that there are a few options available."The United States could do it, but we don't want boots on the ground."

He said the International Atomic Energy Agency could be tasked with doing it, adding, "Who really trusts the United Nations and U.N. agencies?"

"If Trump is serious about getting Iran to forfeit its nuclear program, it's time to start having a conversation with other allies about who could take command, control and custody of this nuclear material until it's outside of Iran."

Rubin said he would nominate India to seize the nuclear material."They are trusted by the Americans, they're trusted by the Israelis and they're trusted by the Iranians. But we need to start not only being reactive, but also proactive," said Rubin.

Rubin cited a quote from Margaret Thatcher to George H.W. Bush in 1990 —  "Don’t go wobbly on me now, George" — when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. 

"I suspect Marco Rubio is filling Margaret Thatcher’s britches, that he is the one going around now to our European allies, saying, ‘Don't go wobbly on me now.,’" said Rubin.

"[He] is saying this to everyone else within the European Union and the United Kingdom because if the Europeans have their choice, they're going to choose quiet over common sense."

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News' Ashley J. DiMella.

France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, from left, Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, pose for photographs in the offices of the honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Geneva, Friday, June 20, 2025. (Fabrice Coffrini/Keystone via AP)

Diplomats from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union met with Iran’s foreign minister on Friday, urging the country to continue diplomacy with the U.S. one week after stalled nuclear talks escalated into attacks between Iran and Israel. 

"We are keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue their talks with the United States," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. "We were clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon."

The meeting, held in Geneva, Switzerland, was the first face-to-face with an Iranian leader since last weekend’s flashpoint. 

"The good result today is that we leave the room with the impression that the Iranian side is fundamentally ready to continue talking about all important issues," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said. He said the two sides had held "very serious talks."

The meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lasted for more than three hours."Military operations can slow Iran’s nuclear program but in no way can they eliminate it," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said. "We know well -- after having seen what happened in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Libya — how illusory and dangerous it is to want to impose regime change from outside."

In a joint statement, France, the U.K., Germany and the E.U. said they shared their "grave concerns" with Araghchi "with regard to the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and reiterated their firm commitment to Israel’s security," adding that "all sides should refrain from taking steps which lead to further escalation in the region, and urgently find a negotiated solution to ensure that Iran never obtains or acquires a nuclear weapon."

Early last Friday, Israel launched airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites after nuclear talks seemed to stall, causing Iran to retaliate. The two countries continue to trade strikes. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared soon afterward that the strikes were necessary to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival."

The meeting also comes less than a month after a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency warned the country is swiftly increasing its stockpile of near weapons-grade enriched uranium.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News' Brie Stimson.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he is not currently asking Israel to halt its military campaign against Iran, despite calls from Iran’s foreign minister for the U.S. to intervene.

Asked by a reporter whether he would request that Israel stop airstrikes in exchange for potential talks with Tehran, Trump responded: “Well, I think it's very hard to make that request right now. Somebody is winning. It's a little bit harder to do that if somebody is losing.”

Trump said the United States is “ready, willing and able” to negotiate but added, “We’ve been speaking to Iran, and we’ll see what happens.”

He also downplayed the role of European allies in diplomacy with Tehran, saying: “Iran doesn’t want to speak to you, and they want to speak to us. And Europe is not going to be able to help at this point.”

The remarks came as Israel continues heavy airstrikes on Iranian targets, and Iran’s foreign minister suggested a ceasefire could be a condition for progress in any talks.

Trump did not rule out diplomacy but said the situation remained tense. President Trump’s latest comments suggest that while he remains open to negotiations, the U.S. is not ready to restrain Israel’s military operations at this stage.

Franklin Graham stands beside the open rear doors of the new armored ambulance in Jerusalem. The vehicle is equipped with a mobile intensive care unit. (Shealah Craighead via Samaritan's Purse)

Evangelical leader Rev. Franklin Graham is calling on people to pray for peace as Israel faces threats from multiple fronts.

In exclusive audio shared with Fox News Digital, Graham defended Israel’s right to defend itself and urged believers to follow Scripture in praying for the Jewish state.

“Israel has been forced into the situations,” Graham said. “They were attacked by Hamas, which was controlled by Iran. They've been attacked in the north by Hezbollah, which is controlled by Iran. And Iran has been using the Houthis to fire missiles almost every day toward Israel. And they are controlled by Iran. So Israel has had no choice but to defend itself.”

Graham cited biblical teachings as the foundation for his message. “The Bible is very clear that we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God chose the Jews out of all the nations of the world, of all the people groups. He chose the Jewish people,” he said.

“And I think the Bible has told us to pray, we should pray. And that's what I'm doing. I'm praying for peace for the Middle East,” Graham continued. “That is something that all of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust him, we should be praying for the peace of Jerusalem.”

He warned of the threat posed by Iran, particularly in light of its nuclear ambitions. “Right now, there are many Israelis that are under the threat,” he said. “Iran has said that the Jewish people should be erased from the face of the earth. If they get an atomic weapon, that's exactly what they will do.”

“So my prayer is also that Israel be successful in defeating its enemies and that then the peace would come.”

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce addresses the media Friday. (Fox News/Pool)

The U.S. State Department says it has supported more than 25,000 individuals seeking guidance as tensions escalate between Israel and Iran.

Speaking Friday, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said: “The Department of State has provided information and support to over 25,000 people seeking guidance regarding the situation in Israel, the West Bank and Iran and on Iran.”

When asked to clarify whether the 25,000 included U.S. citizens looking to leave the region, Bruce responded: “So it would be a combination. I'm sure, but it's a general information.”

The department has not detailed how many of the inquiries involved evacuation or travel assistance.

As the Trump administration continues to monitor the situation, the State Department remains the primary point of contact for Americans seeking official updates on regional conditions.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon delivered a fiery rebuke at the UN Security Council Friday, accusing Iran of orchestrating global terror while playing the victim.

The remarks came amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran following repeated missile exchanges and Israeli strikes on Tehran.

“You come here asking for sympathy,” Danon said, addressing Iran’s UN representative, Saeed Iravani. “You demand protection from this council while plotting the extermination of my people. It’s enough.”

In a charged moment, Danon likened Iran’s conduct to a predator cloaked in diplomacy. “It’s like a wolf complaining when the shepherd fights back to protect his flock,” he said.

“Mr. Yiravani, you are not a victim. You are not even a diplomat. You are a wolf pretending to be a diplomat. And we are done pretending otherwise.”

Danon directly challenged Iran’s representative to clarify Tehran’s position on Israel’s right to exist and its leadership. “Mr. Yiravani, please clarify to us: Do you support the destruction of Israel, a UN member state? Do you also support the assassination of our elected leaders? If you do not—say so. We are all here, waiting.”

The remarks were part of an emergency Security Council session convened in response to the escalating regional conflict.

Israel continues to defend its missile shield and conduct operations targeting Iranian military assets, while Iran maintains its stance against any form of negotiation under pressure.

Danon’s blunt message to the international body called for an end to what he described as the ongoing “charade.”

“This council should put an end to this charade, once and for all.”

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar said on Friday that an Iranian missile hit a mosque in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, injuring clerics who were inside.

"The Iranian regime is targeting Muslim, Christian, and Jewish civilians, as well as civilian sites. These are war crimes. Noted," Sa'ar wrote in a post on X.

Fox News senior correspondent Mike Tobin reported on Friday that an Iranian missile that landed in Haifa injured 20 people, including a 16-year-old who took shrapnel to the chest.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Former vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., is facing criticism after claiming China could be the voice of "moral authority" in the Israel-Iran conflict. 

During a "What’s Next: Conversations on the Path Forward" event hosted by the Center for American Progress (CAP) last week, Walz responded to a question from former Biden White House advisor, Neera Tanden, about the "escalatory" nature of the strikes between the two countries.

"Now, who is the voice in the world that can negotiate some type of agreement in this? Who holds the moral authority? Who holds the ability to do that? Because we are not seen as a neutral actor, and we maybe never were," Walz said of the United States' role in deescalating tensions in the Middle East.

As the United States weighs striking Iran and war in the Middle East rages on, Danielle Pletka, a distinguished senior fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI), told Fox News Digital that Walz's comments are "ignorance on display."

According to Walz, the United States once attempted "to be somewhat of the arbitrator" in the Middle East, but Americans must face the reality that the "neutral actor" with the "moral authority" to lead negotiations in the Middle East "might be the Chinese."

Walz didn't elaborate on why China would be that world leader. 

"It's so staggering to me that Tim Walz was within a heartbeat of the presidency," Pletka said, before adding, "We don't need a neutral player here," and urging him to "stick to local politics."

This is an excerpt from an article by Deirdre Heavey.

An Iranian missile reportedly landed in the city of Haifa, leaving 20 injured, including a 16-year-old who is in serious condition after taking shrapnel to the chest, Fox News' Mike Tobin reported on Friday. One woman died of a heart attack while running to a bomb shelter.

Additionally, Iranian missiles landed in Tel Aviv, in central Israel, and in the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva, where the Soroka Medical Center was recently hit in a different Iranian missile barrage.

The USS Nimitz carrier strike group is expected to arrive in the Middle East this weekend, a U.S. official told Fox News. The vessel left the South China Sea on Monday.

The Nimitz was previously scheduled to replace the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group which has been deployed for several months, but was sent to the Middle East ahead of schedule. Two U.S. aircraft carriers will now be in the Middle East at the same time. 

President Donald Trump has yet to make a final decision on U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, but is expected to make an announcement within two weeks.

JACK GUEZ/Pool via REUTERS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement from an intelligence base praising the personnel there for their "sacred work" and "providing us with the intelligence that wins wars."

"I cannot overstate the importance of the work that has been done, and the work that is being done right now, in achieving absolute victory," Netanyahu said.

Throughout its operation in Iran, the IDF has consistently credited intel personnel for providing information that allowed it to carry out attacks.

Yael Rotem-Kuriel contributed to this report.

Rafael Grossi is increasingly concerned about Iran's nuclear program. Photo: Albert Otti/dpa (Photo by Albert Otti/picture alliance via Getty Images)

As President Donald Trump weighs joining Israel's war to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities, the world's chief nuclear official tells Fox News that he sees no evidence Iran's leaders are racing to build a nuclear bomb.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said, "We have confirmed that Iran does have, even now, enough material for several warheads.

"But this should not be equated with a nuclear weapon," Grossi continued, adding, "We do not have at this point, if you ask me, at this time, any tangible proof that there is a program, or a plan, to fabricate, to manufacture a nuclear weapon."

Inspectors from Grossi's agency, which is the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, are tasked with monitoring Iran's nuclear activities. The IAEA has not been able to carry out inspections since Israel began attacking sites earlier this month but has been making extensive use of satellite imagery.

When asked by Fox News whether Iran's nuclear program had been set back dramatically by Israel's attacks to date, Grossi said, "No, I wouldn't say so.

"I think there have been a number of important military attacks and impacts," he said. "But it is very clear, and everybody agrees on this, that not everything has been taken out."

He also argued that military action alone would not be enough to undo what Iran has learned in several decades of nuclear research.

This is an excerpt from an article by Simon Owen and Michael Tobin.

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Israeli United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon held a news conference ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting on Operation Rising Lion. A defiant Danon said he would not apologize for Israel acting to defend its people from what Jerusalem has repeatedly called an existential threat.

"Today, when I walk into the Security Council, I don't expect gratitude from the Security Council, but I will not apologize for protecting our people and for confronting evil when others will not," Danon.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., issued a press release on Thursday in which he declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "wrong" in the past and is again now.

In the statement, Sanders pointed to comments Netanyahu made while speaking about Saddam Hussein at a U.S. congressional hearing in 2002. 

Netanyahu said at the time that "if you take out … Saddam's regime," the move "will have enormous positive reverberations on the region." He said that there was "no question whatsoever" that the Iraqi leader was pursuing the "development of nuclear weapons."

"Netanyahu was wrong. Very wrong. The war in Iraq resulted in 4,492 U.S. military deaths, over 32,000 wounded, and a cost of roughly three trillion dollars. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis also died as a result of that tragic war. Netanyahu was wrong regarding the war in Iraq. He is wrong now. We must not get involved in Netanyahu’s war against Iran," Sanders asserted in his statement.

President Donald Trump has not ruled out the prospect of U.S. military intervention as Israel targets Iran in a bid to stop the rogue regime from achieving its nuclear weapons ambitions.

This is an excerpt from an article by Alex Nitzberg.

The IDF announced on Friday that it had killed Mohammad Khadr Al-Husseini, the commander of the Hezbollah firepower array in the Litani sector, in southern Lebanon . According to Israel, Al-Husseini recently engaged in efforts to rebuild Hezbollah's artillery forces, which constitutes "a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

Earlier on Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the ongoing conflict with Iran, which supports the Lebanon-based terror organization.

Fox News senior strategic analyst Jack Keane says that Iran is isolated and that the U.S. should help Israel destroy Iran's Fordow nuclear site.

“I'm sure the president and his team have tjought through if we're going to help at Fordow because the Israelis have asked us to help finish this nuclear enterprise off once and for all, and I certainly think we should do that,” Keane told "Fox and Friends" Friday.

Keane said that there has been significant reduction in Iranian missile launches over the last few days, indicating a potential shift in their posture or preparation for retaliation -- and that the regime there is isolated.

“They’ve lost the political will, none of the proxies have done anything," Keane said. "Russia and China can assist Iran, but the regime is isolated. Even its strategic partners see it, we’re looking at the end here.”

He said that the Israeli military has been successfully targeting mobile missile launchers and ballistic missile stockpiles, stating that over half of Iran's launch capacity has been neutralized. He said that drones used by Iran are largely ineffective.

“The nuclear enterprise is vast… it’s redundant and resilient. Multiple sites, centrifuges to spin enriched uranium. They built it that way to survive an attack and that’s why the Ayatollah never made a deal — he believes he can absorb an attack, recover, and rebuild,” Keane said.

“He’s not going to make a deal anytime soon. Once we take the whole enterprise down — the Israelis have already destroyed all 70 of Iran’s air defense batteries and air force. The 12 nuclear sites damaged or destroyed. We finish off Fordow itself and then leadership decapitated military and nuclear scientists. Now they can recover nuclear scientists, but in the near term, major problem."

A missile launched from Iran is intercepted, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, Tel Aviv, Israel, June 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)

Iran launched a fresh round of ballistic missiles at Israel on Friday, the Israeli Defense Forces said, with a handful reportedly landing in Haifa and other locations across the country.

"Sirens sounding in parts of Israel as Iran launches another round of ballistic missiles," the IDF posted on X at 8:40 a.m. EST.

Fox News' Trey Yingst reported that the missiles are raining down on residential areas.

"Incoming ballistic missiles targeting Israel. More residential areas under attack."

An all-clear message was given around 30 minutes after the sirens sounded.

The FBI is increasing its monitoring of Iran-backed operatives in the U.S. as President Donald Trump weighs getting involved in the conflict, a senior law enforcement source confirmed to Fox News Friday.

The White House said on Thursday that Trump will make a decision on U.S. involvement in the conflict within two weeks.

This reportedly includes surveillance of possible sleeper cells linked to the Tehran-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah, according to CBS News. The Lebanon-based terror group also got a clear warning from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz not to join the conflict.

Sayed Hassan/Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly said that Iran is rejecting talks with the U.S. amid the country's conflict with Israel. He also called Washington a "partner in crime," presumably with Jerusalem, according to the West Asia News Agency (WANA).

President Donald Trump is expected to make a decision on U.S. involvement within two weeks as he faces internal pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who want Washington to stay out of the conflict.

Trump warned on social media Wednesday that the U.S. has "complete and total control of the skies over Iran," and demanded an "unconditional surrender" from Iran. 

He has also repeatedly refused to rule out the prospect of carrying out a direct strike on Iran. "I may do it. I may not do it," he told reporters Wednesday. "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said.

Ahead of the U.N. Security Council's meeting on the conflict between Israel and Iran, Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon urged the international community to condemn Tehran.

 “The international community should strongly condemn Iran for these war crimes and hold the regime responsible for its actions," Danon said in a statement.

In a letter to the council, Danon referenced Iran's strike on a hospital in southern Israel, which he describes as a "primary medical hub." The ambassador noted that the hospital treats Jews, Christians and Muslims and suggested that by hitting the Soroka Medica Center, Iran targeted "an institution which embodies the very values its theocratic regime loathes."

Danon also criticized the U.N. for inviting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to address the Human Rights Council in Geneva, saying that the invitation "demonstrates that this UN body has lost its sense of purpose and its moral compass."

Araghchi reportedly said that Tehran had no interest in talks with Washington, as the regime sees the U.S. as Israel's "partner in crime," according to the West Asia News Agency (WANA).

IDF

The Israeli Air Force struck the Iranian regime's Internal Security Headquarters and the regime's regime's special internal security units in Tehran, which the IDF says are part of Iran's military apparatus. According to the Israel Defense Forces, the strikes were carried out thanks to precise intelligence.

These strikes come after Iran hit a hospital in the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva on Thursday, which Israel's foreign minister condemned as a "war crime."

The Israeli Air Force said it struck three missile launchers ready to be launched toward Israel from Iran as well as a military commander who was working to launch the missiles.

"The Air Force recently attacked three missile launchers ready to be launched from Iran into the territory of the State of Israel and a military commander who was working to launch them," the Air Force wrote on X.

The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out a series of strikes overnight targeting dozens of targets were attacked, including military industrial sites for missile production.

"The IDF completed a series of overnight strikes in the heart of Tehran: Dozens of targets were attacked, including military industrial sites for missile production and the Spand headquarters for research and development of the nuclear weapons project," the IDF wrote on X.

More than 60 Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked dozens of military targets in Iran with "precise intelligence guidance" from the Intelligence Branch using about 120 munitions, the IDF said. It said several missile manufacturing industrial sites in the Tehran area were attacked.

Military industrial sites for the production of missile components and sites for the production of raw materials used for casting rocket engines were among the locations targeted, the IDF said.

"As part of the attacks and as part of the IDF's activities to damage the Iranian regime's nuclear weapons project, the IDF attacked the Spand headquarters building in Tehran," the IDF wrote.

The Spand headquarters, according to the IDF, is used to research and develop advanced technologies and weapons for Iran's military capabilities.

"In addition, a site for the production of a component that is a necessary basis for the Iranian regime's nuclear weapons program was attacked," the IDF said.

"During the night, the Air Force intercepted four unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Iran," it added.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah against joining in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

"The Hezbollah Secretary-General is not learning a lesson from his predecessors and is threatening to act against Israel in accordance with the Iranian dictator's orders," Katz wrote on X.

"I suggest to the Lebanese proxy to be careful and understand that Israel has lost patience with terrorists who threaten it," he continued.

Katz added: "If there is terrorism, there will be no Hezbollah."