Trump convenes Israel-Iran Situation Room meeting at White House to weigh US response

As President Donald Trump considers getting involved with Israel's war against Iran, the Islamic Republic is warning that it will respond firmly.

Iranian U.N. Ambassador Ali Bahreini told reporters that he sees the U.S. as being "complicit in what Israel is doing," according to Reuters.

There has been speculation over whether the U.S. coordinated with Israel before the launch of Operation Rising Lion.

So far, the U.S. has stayed out of the conflict, but it has helped Israel shoot down missiles from Tehran. There are some indications, however, that the Trump administration could move to get more directly involved in the war, as it is the only one with a bomb that can destroy Fordow, often called Iran's most dangerous nuclear site.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that 3,800 people have been evacuated from their homes since the beginning of Operation Rising Lion. Additionally, 24 people have been killed and more than 800 have been injured.

Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa'ar outlined the threat posed by Iran in a letter to the U.N. Security Council explaining the crucial nature of Operation Rising Lion.

"Iran has crossed every red line. It has expanded its uranium enrichment to weapons-grade levels and maintained weapons-related nuclear infrastructure in defiance of international demands," Sa'ar wrote.

He also accused Iran of using diplomacy as a stalling tactic to buy time for advancing its nuclear program. Sa'ar said that, in light of developments in Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, Israel was left with "no choice but to act."

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem announced that it will be closed June 18-20 as tensions between Israel and Iran continue to heat up. U.S. government employees and their families have been instructed to shelter in place in and near their residences.

It also noted that it did not have any updates on getting U.S. citizens out of Israel, though the embassy said that it is aware of third parties helping people leave, but it was "not able to endorse any providers."

"The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness – including knowing the location of the nearest shelter in the event of a red alert as security incidents, such as mortar, rocket, and missile fire, and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) intrusions, often take place without any warning. The security environment is complex and can change quickly," the embassy wrote in a statement.

Additionally, the embassy warned that U.S. government employees and their families may face further restrictions on where they can travel in Israel, the West Bank and Jerusalem as tensions flare.

In a Wednesday morning update, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck a centrifuge production site and multiple weapon manufacturing facilities in the Tehran area.

The IDF said the sites were "key elements of Iran’s nuclear weapons and missile programs."

The organization said over 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets targeted several sites, including  a facility used to enrich uranium, sites manufacturing parts for surface-to-surface missiles and a facility for surface-to-air missile components used to target aircraft.

"These strikes directly degrade Iran’s ability to threaten Israel and the region," the IDF said.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to his supporters during a press conference after casting his ballot for the parliamentary runoff elections in Tehran on May 10, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shared some seemingly threatening messaging on his social media accounts on Tuesday night, including a post reading "the battle begins" alongside an image of fireballs raining down on an ancient city.

“In the name of #Haider, the battle begins,” Khamenei wrote on X in Farsi, referring to Ali's actions during the historic Battle of Khaybar.

Iran's Supreme Leader, in a post on a separate X account in English wrote, "We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime."

"We will show the Zionists no mercy," he said.

A WhatsApp icon is displayed on an iPhone, Nov. 15, 2018, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Iran on Tuesday urged the country's citizens to remove WhatsApp from from their smartphones.

Iranian state media said the popular app gathered user information to send to Israel.

In a statement, WhatsApp said it was “concerned these false reports will be an excuse for our services to be blocked at a time when people need them the most.”

“We do not track your precise location, we don’t keep logs of who everyone is messaging and we do not track the personal messages people are sending one another,” the company added. “We do not provide bulk information to any government.”

WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.

Iran previously banned WhatsApp and Google Play in 2022 during mass protests against the government over the death of a woman held by the country’s morality police.

That ban was lifted late last year, the Associated Press reported.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., flanked by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., center, and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, speak with reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, June 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., doesn’t envision, nor want, the U.S. military becoming directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, but that hinges on whether the Islamic Republic rejoins the negotiating table.

"Dismantling Iran's nuclear program is what this is all about," Thune told Fox News Digital from his office in the Capitol. "And that can happen one of two ways. It can happen diplomatically — voluntarily — or can happen via force."

Thune’s comments come as questions and concerns swirl on Capitol Hill among lawmakers about whether the U.S. will take a bigger, more direct role in the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East. There are active conversations among senators about what role Congress should play in whether to thrust the U.S. into an armed conflict or if that power should be ceded to the president. 

"The Israelis may not have the military capability to do everything that’s necessary," he continued. "If the Iranians are smart, they'll come to the table and negotiate this in a way in which they choose to end or disavow their nuclear program."

This post features an excerpt from an article by Alex Miller.

This image taken from video provided by the U.S. Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, March 15, 2025. (U.S. Navy via AP, File)

Iran has prepared missiles for potential strikes against U.S. forces in the Middle East, according to reports.

The New York Times reported that the Iranian military is planning possible attacks against American forces if the U.S. joins Israel as it continues to launch strikes against the Islamic Republic, citing American officials.

As an example, if the U.S. strikes Fordow, a key Iranian nuclear facility, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could attack ships in the Red Sea, as they have done since Oct, 7, 2023, the Times of Israel reported.

The US has thousands of troops deployed in the region. Meanwhile, Iran has missile bases within range of some of the American forces.

A road sign shows the way towards the US embassy in Jerusalem on April 19, 2024. The US embassy in Israel on April 19 told its employees and their families to restrict their movements after reports that Israel conducted strike inside Iran. (Photo by Ronaldo SCHEMIDT / AFP) (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed from Wednesday through Friday.

“As a result of the current security situation and ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, the U.S. Embassy has directed that all U.S. government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice,” a security alert states.

The closure includes the consular sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There will be no passport or consular report of birth abroad services, either.

“We have no announcement about assisting private U.S. citizens to depart at this time," the alert said. "The Department of State is always planning for contingencies to assist with private U.S. citizens’ departure from crisis areas. We will alert the U.S. citizen community if there is additional information to share regarding departure options. U.S. citizens should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive the latest updates.”

U.S. officials are aware that Ben Gurion Airport remains closed, and that there are no commercial or charter flights operating from there. Seaports in Israel are also closed, the alert said.

The IDF posted an image warning residents in a part of Tehran to leave the area. (IDF)

Israeli forces warned residents living in a portion of the Iranian capital of Tehran to evacuate ahead of an attack.

“Immediate warning to employees as well as all people located in District 18 of Tehran based on the area specified on the attached map,” the IDF wrote on X. “In the coming hours, the Israeli army will take action in this area to attack the Iranian regime's military infrastructure, just as it has done in recent days around Tehran.”

If civilians stay in the area, their lives would be at risk, the IDF said.

As Israeli airstrikes pounded Tehran this week—including a direct hit on Iran’s state television headquarters—residents in the capital described a city gripped by fear and confusion.

In exclusive comments to Fox News Digital, an independent journalist based in Tehran, who withheld their name for fear of reprisal, said, "I hate the Islamic Republic, but my country is under attack. Our house was shaking from the blasts and missiles an hour ago while I was in the newsroom covering the news. We are in a war zone."

According to the journalist, the Israeli strike on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) compound hit hard—physically and symbolically.

"The studio that was bombed yesterday is part of the regime’s state broadcaster, a mouthpiece for propaganda that has never represented the people. For years, we imagined the fall of IRIB as the final chapter in the collapse of the Islamic Republic. But yesterday, for a few minutes, we were all in shock," they said. "Ordinary people don’t watch the regime’s TV, but the attack on it felt strangely symbolic—like the world was shifting."

Another Tehran resident told Fox News Digital they only learned about the scale of the attacks after briefly regaining internet access. "I was hiding during the bombing. I had no idea what was happening. Has the U.S. intervened? Is this going to continue?" they asked.

This post features an excerpt from an article by Efrat Lachter.

Israeli forces said missiles from Iran were detected headed towards Israel early Wednesday.

“The IDF has identified that missiles were recently launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel," the Israel Defense Forces wrote on X. "The defense systems are working to intercept the threat. You must enter the protected areas upon receiving the alert, and remain there until further notice.”

Iran has about 2,000 missiles, a senior Israeli intelligence official told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst.

Israel has said it has destroyed around 40% of Iran's missiles as both countries engaged in back-and-forth strikes.

Israel should have targeted Iran’s supreme leader as back-and-forth airstrikes between the two Middle Eastern rivals continued Tuesday, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said.

“Yeah, 100 percent,” Fetterman told “America’s Newsroom" about potentially targeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Yeah, I think they should have targeted him."

“I think the way Israel operates, they just take out the leadership just like they did with Hezbollah,” he continued. “And they’ve already done that with the Iranian leadership, just took them out, even laying in their beds.”

Fetterman has been supportive of Israel as it continues to fight Iran and its proxies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hasn't ruled out targeting Khamenei, shortly after reports surfaced that President Trump shot down a plan including that course of action.

Israel's spy agency, Mossad, used artificial intelligence and smuggled-in drones to prepare an attack on Iran.

The preparation for the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities was years in the making, The Associated Press reported.

Mossad and the Israeli military worked together for at least three years to lay the operational groundwork, said a former intelligence officer who claimed to have knowledge of the attack.

To further diminish Iranian air defenses following Israel's waves of airstrikes in October and missile systems, Mossad agents smuggled precision weapons into Iran that were prepositioned to strike from close range, according to two current security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the missions.

The weapons included small, armed drones, which agents snuck into the country in vehicles, according to the former intelligence officer.

Israel also used AI to analyze information it gathered and to sift through troves of data.

Iranian missile strikes targeting Israel have gotten much smaller as Israeli forces maintain air superiority, Fox News has learned.

Fox News' chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst said Iran continues to launch ballistic missiles into Israel but at smaller rates.

The Israel Defense Forces told Fox News that it has destroyed about 40% of Iran's missiles. However, Israel still wants to go after the country's nuclear program.

“The Israelis have a lot of capabilities and they've been preparing for months for this operation,” Yingst said on "The Will Cain Show."

Vice President JD Vance speaks during the American Compass New World Gala at the National Building Museum on June 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. The gala is being held to commemorate the fifth anniversary of conservative think tank American Compass and to show support for conservative economic populism. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Vice President JD Vance on Monday defended President Donald Trump's position on Iran in response to what he described as "crazy" accusations on social media. 

"Look, I'm seeing this from the inside, and am admittedly biased towards our president (and my friend), but there's a lot of crazy stuff on social media, so I wanted to address some things directly on the Iran issue," Vance wrote on X. 

He said Trump "has been amazingly consistent, over 10 years, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

"Over the last few months, he encouraged his foreign policy team to reach a deal with the Iranians to accomplish this goal. The president has made clear that Iran cannot have uranium enrichment. And he said repeatedly that this would happen one of two ways--the easy way or the ‘other’ way."

The vice president said he saw "a lot of confusion" online over the issue of "civilian nuclear power" and "uranium enrichment." "These are distinct issues. Iran could have civilian nuclear power without enrichment, but Iran rejected that," Vance said.

"Meanwhile, they've enriched uranium far above the level necessary for any civilian purpose. They've been found in violation of their non-proliferation obligations by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is hardly a rightwing organization. 

This is an excerpt from an article by Danielle Wallace.

A meeting between President Donald Trump and his national security team concluded Tuesday, Fox News has learned.

Trump met with his security advisors after leaving the G7 summit early on Monday to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

Fox News chief Washington correspondent Mike Emanuel said Fox News was told that the possibility of U.S. intervention and airstrikes was on the table.

Trump has taken a tougher stance with the Iranian regime, saying he wants “unconditional surrender.” 

Oil prices climbed over 4% on Tuesday as the Iran-Israel conflict continued to rage, Reuters reported.

Amid the conflict, Iran partially suspended gas production at the South Pars field it shares with Qatar after an Israeli strike started a fire there on Saturday. Israel also hit the Shahran oil depot in Iran.

The continuing exchange of airstrikes between Israel and Iran returned geopolitical risk to oil markets already aware of a tight supply and demand balance, Phil Flynn, senior analyst with the Price Futures Group, told the news outlet.

"This is not a one-and-done; it's probably much more similar to Russia and Ukraine," Flynn said.

Two Congressional lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a resolution that would prohibit U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war.

“This is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X.

The resolution said Congress has the sole authority to declare war.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who also introduced the resolution, said Americans don't want to be “dragged into another disastrous conflict in the Middle East.”

“I’m proud to lead this bipartisan War Powers Resolution with Rep. Massie to reassert that any military action against Iran must be authorized by Congress,” he said.

The Israel Air Force on Tuesday launched strikes on 12 missile launch sites and storage facilities.

These missiles were aimed at Israeli civilians, Israel said.

Footage released by Israel shows Israeli attacks on a surface-to-air missile launcher positioned at one of the launch sites.

Another shows three key sites for storing and launching surface-to-surface missiles that were struck in the Isfahan area.

British Secretary of State for Defense John Healey departs a cabinet meeting at Downing Street, in London, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

John Healey, the defense secretary for the United Kingdom, said the conflict between Israel and Iran is "a dangerous moment" for the entire region.

He called on both sides to practice restraint and said that a diplomatic solution, instead of military action, was the only pathway to peace, the BBC reported.

He noted that the military posturing of the United States and Britain reinforces the message that diplomacy is the only way to settle the situation.

British military assets were being deployed to the region, and British military personnel in the region were also on high alert, he said.

Participants in a demonstration against the Iranian regime march through the center of Hamburg under the slogan "No to the Islamic Republic of Iran". They carry a large picture of the former Shah of Persia. Photo: Bodo Marks/dpa (Photo by Bodo Marks/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The son of the last shah of Iran on Tuesday said the Islamic Republic “has come to its end and is collapsing.”

Reza Pahlavi, whose father led the country until he was famously overthrown in 1979 addressed Iranian in a video posted on X.

“What has begun is irreversible. The future is bright, and together we will turn the page of history," he said. "Now is the time to stand up; the time to reclaim Iran. May I be with you soon.”

Pahlavi is the son of the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled Iran from 1941 to 1979 before he was overthrown during the Iranian revolution. 

President Donald Trump has refused to say whether the U.S. will use direct military force against Iran to stop it from getting a nuclear weapon, but one top security expert is sounding the alarm that taking out Iran’s nuclear threat "is a job only the U.S. can do."

Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran beginning overnight on Thursday, and according to the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the Natanz nuclear facility’s underground structures, some 36 feet underground, did see "direct impact" from the strikes, though the extent of damage remains unclear.

However, Israel did not strike the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant – which is believed to be capable of producing a nuclear warhead in as little as two to three days, according to the Institute for Science and International Security – likely because Israel does not possess the military capabilities it would take to strike the Fordow facility, which is reported to be up to 300 feet underground.

"Fordow is not the only remaining important nuclear facility, but it’s the most dangerous," Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. "Destroying it from the air is a job only the U.S. can do."

The Fordow nuclear facility is believed to be Iran’s most heavily protected nuclear site, built deep into mountain bedrock and divided into two enrichment halls capable of holding some 3,000 centrifuges.

The only way to penetrate this facility may be by using a 30,000-pound bomb, known as the "bunker buster," a GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) specifically designed to penetrate deeply buried targets, though even this capability is estimated to have a reach of some 200 feet, according to publicly available information.

This post is an excerpt from an article by Caitlin McFall.

President Donald Trump is seen at the G7 summit, in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on June 16, 2025. (Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett)

A senior White House official told Fox News that President Donald Trump will meet “very soon” with his national security advisers in the Situation Room at the White House. 

The official added that U.S. strikes on targets inside of Iran, including nuclear facilities, are on the table. 

The development comes after Trump said Tuesday that Iran no longer has control of its airspace. 

"We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran," he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump also said on Tuesday that the U.S. knows where Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “is hiding,” and although he is an “easy target,” the U.S. won’t kill him – “at least not for now.” 

FOX Business' Edward Lawrence contributed to this report.

A U.S. official told Fox News that the Pentagon is moving more fighter jets to the Middle East and is extending the deployment of air assets already in the Middle East.

These are defensive air assets, the U.S. official said. It includes F-16, F-22, and F-35 fighter jets. 

The development comes a day after a U.S. official told Fox News that the USS Nimitz carrier strike group is on its way to the Middle East from the South China Sea. 

The Nimitz was previously scheduled to replace the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group which has been deployed for several months, but is now heading to the Middle East ahead of schedule.

The two strike groups will now be in the Middle East at the same time.    

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report. 

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a ceremony marking the anniversary of the 1989 death of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini at his shrine just outside Tehran, Iran, June 4, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the U.S. knows where Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “is hiding,” and although he is an “easy target,” the U.S. won’t kill him – “at least not for now.” 

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that his administration’s “patience is wearing thin” as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates. 

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote. “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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” 

Minutes later, Trump posted again, writing, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon delivered a message to the people of Iran in Farsi while speaking at the United Nations building in New York City. He assured the people that Israel is not fighting them, but rather the regime that is oppressing the people.

"We know the truth: You are not our enemies. You are the first and most tragic victims of the ayatollahs," Danon said.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while flying aboard Air Force One en route from Calgary, Canada to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, late Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran no longer has control of its airspace. 

"We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran," he wrote on Truth Social.

“Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff,’” Trump wrote. “Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly expressed support for Israel on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, saying “This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us.  

“We are also victims of this regime. This mullah regime has brought death and destruction to the world,” Merz told German broadcaster ZDF, according to The Times of Israel. 

“This regime is very weakened and will probably not return to its former strength, making the future of the country uncertain. We will have to wait and see,” Merz also was quoted as saying to the Welt TV channel. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump's Iran position as focused only on "using the American military to accomplish American people's goals."

"I have yet to see a single good argument for why Iran needed to enrich uranium well above the threshold for civilian use. I've yet to see a single good argument for why Iran was justified in violating its non-proliferation obligations. I've yet to see a single good pushback against the IAEA's findings," Vance wrote on X.

"Meanwhile, the president has shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military's focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens. He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president. And of course, people are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic foreign policy," Vance added.

Vance made the remarks in response to what he described as “a lot of crazy stuff on social media.” 

He described Trump as someone who “has been amazingly consistent, over 10 years, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.” 

“Over the last few months, he encouraged his foreign policy team to reach a deal with the Iranians to accomplish this goal. The president has made clear that Iran cannot have uranium enrichment. And he said repeatedly that this would happen one of two ways -- the easy way or the ‘other’ way,” Vance wrote. 

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, then-President Donald Trump's nominee to be ambassador to Israel, testifies during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 25, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump shared a message Tuesday from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who told the president “I will not abandon this post” and “our flag will NOT come down!” 

“The decisions on your shoulders I would not want to be made by anyone else,” Huckabee said in a text message to Trump as the president is weighing how the U.S. should respond to the Israel-Iran conflict. 

“I am your appointed servant in this land and am available for you but I do not try to get in your presence often because I trust your instincts,” Huckabee said. “You sent me to Israel to be your eyes, ears and voice and to make sure our flag flies above our embassy. My job will be the last one to leave. 

“It is my honor to serve you!” Huckabee also said. 

Israel said on Tuesday that it had killed Iran’s wartime chief of staff Maj. Gen. Ali Shamdani, the country’s most senior military leader. IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a statement that Shamdani was killed at the regime’s headquarters in Tehran. 

"For the second time in 5 days, the IDF has eliminated Iran’s Wartime Chief of Staff, the regime’s top military commander," the IDF wrote on X. "Ali Shadmani, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence."

Shamdani led the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters — also referred to as Iran’s military emergency command — for approximately four days before he was killed, according to the Times of Israel. Shamdani was preceded by Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, who was killed in Israel’s initial strikes on Iran on June 13.

In his role, Shamdani allegedly managed combat operations and approved Iran’s attack plans, the Times of Israel reported.

The trail of a projectile is seen through the clouds over Jerusalem following an alert about missile launches from Iran, early Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Sirens are now sounding across Israel as Iran launched a new wave of missiles Tuesday.

"A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel. The public is requested to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

The Israeli Air Force is "operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat."

The sirens could be heard in major Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The IDF later said "Following the situational assessment, the Home Front Command published that it is now permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas across the country" and that most of the missiles were intercepted.

The Israeli Air Force carried out a wave of airstrikes in western Iran on Tuesday, hitting a “number of sites and dozens of surface-to-surface missile launchers,” according to the Israel Defense Forces. 

“In addition, since the morning, the IAF conducted intelligence-based strikes on surface-to-air missile launch sites and radars embedded in western Iran,” it added. “The IAF continues to operate in Iranian airspace in order to locate and neutralize launchers aimed at the Israeli home front.” 

The IDF released video showing multiple targets exploding. 

Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)

China’s foreign ministry announced Tuesday that Beijing is evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran. 

“The Chinese Foreign Ministry and relevant embassies and consulates are working with other government agencies to do everything possible to keep Chinese nationals in Iran and Israel safe and swiftly organize their evacuation,” it said in a post on X. 

“Chinese nationals in Israel and Iran, please contact our local embassies and consulates," it added. 

The announcement comes a day after the U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory for Israel to Level 4: Do Not Travel.   

The State Department said Americans should not travel to Israel “Israel due to armed conflict, terrorism, and civil unrest.”   

President Donald Trump denied reports on Tuesday that he left the G7 summit in Canada early to work on a cease-fire between Israel and Iran, hinting that it was for something "much bigger."

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One during an overnight flight back to Washington that he was looking to achieve something better than a cease-fire and would meet with advisers in the Situation Room early Tuesday.

"We're looking at better than a cease-fire," Trump said. "We're not looking for a cease-fire. I didn't say that I was looking for a cease-fire."

When asked what was better than a cease-fire, Trump responded, "An end. A real end, not ceasefire. An end." The president added that "giving up entirely" was also an option.

Trump earlier denied reports that he was rushing back to Washington to work on a cease-fire, saying on his Truth Social platform that "it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that."

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the nation on Iranian state television broadcast in Tehran, Iran on June 13, 2025. (Photo by Iranian Leader Press Office/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could suffer a fate similar to Iraq’s Saddam Hussein. 

“I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and launching missiles at Israeli civilians. He would do well to remember the fate of the dictator in the country neighboring Iran who chose this same path against the State of Israel,” Katz said during a meeting with Israel Defense Force leaders, according to the Times of Israel. 

Hussein was driven out of Iraq by a U.S.-led coalition in 2003 before being found hiding in a hole. He later was executed by hanging.

“We will continue today as well to act against regime and military targets in Tehran, just as we did yesterday against the propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority,” Katz reportedly added.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney walks with President Donald Trump after a group photo at the G7 Summit, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that he is expecting to be in the Situation Room at the White House as the conflict is escalating between Israel and Iran. 

When asked why he left the G7 summit in Canada early to return to Washington, D.C., Trump said “I don’t believe in telephones” and “being on the scene is much better.” 

“And we did everything I had to do at the G7. We had a good G7,” Trump added. 

A security expert has hailed the "outstanding performance" of Israel’s defensive capabilities that he said prevented "far greater destruction," amid the barrage of Iranian missiles fired at the Jewish state.

The Institute for National Security Studies’ Dr. Yehoshua Kalisky recently wrote that the "destructive potential of Iranian ballistic missiles is immense," given the size, maneuverability, and high velocity of various missiles in the Iranian arsenal. He calculated that Israel intercepted "approximately 95%" of the ballistic missiles launched toward its territory as of Saturday.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital he believes as of Monday, about 20 of the Iranian 250-300 ballistic missiles sent into Israeli airspace have made it through Israel’s defenses. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said another 20 were fired, with five getting through with no fatalities.

As of June 15, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also stated that Iran had "sent more than 100 UAVs at Israel," which it intercepted. 

According to Taleblu, the "barrages against Israel follow the pattern established in 2024 where the decades-long covert war between Israel and Iran crept out of the shadows." 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, second from left, inspects damage on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot following an Israeli airstrike. (GPO)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the site of an Iranian missile attack on the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot on Tuesday. 

“For almost 100 years, the Weizmann Institute of Science — one of the great life ventures of the first President of Israel, Professor Chaim Weizmann — has advanced science, advanced humanities, has advanced the development of humanity at large and universal values. And the Iranians, with their cruel missiles launched at civilian populations, have targeted also the Weizmann Institute of Science, so they did hurt buildings on campus, but I must tell you the noises you hear are of those coming already to repair and rebuild and research and change the world for the better,” Herzog said. 

Herzog added that while Iran is attempting havoc, death and destruction with its airstrikes, “We will continue promoting life, liberties, civil liberties, and, of course, democracy and the plight for peace as we believe in.” 

Fox News' Yael Rotem-Kuriel contributed to this report.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security at the United Nations Headquarters on June 13, 2025 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday that “We are not going to tell the U.S. what to do.” 

“This is our war, we are fighting Iran ... the others will decide what is good for them," he said. 

“When you look at the size of Israel and compare it to the size of Iran, we are a tiny country,” Danon added. “The size of Iran – it's a huge country. So we have limited capabilities, but we punch high.” 

Danon also revealed that he gets “many messages” from people in Iran “telling us – finish the job, we want freedom, we want to live a normal life in Iran.” 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Thomas Massie. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., announced on Monday evening that he plans to introduce "a bipartisan War Powers Resolution" on Tuesday to prohibit American involvement in the Israel-Iran war. 

"This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution. I'm introducing a bipartisan War Powers Resolution tomorrow to prohibit our involvement. I invite all members of Congress to cosponsor this resolution," Massie declared in a post on X.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, responded to Massie's tweet by noting in a post that he is "proud to co-lead this bipartisan War Powers Resolution with Rep. Massie that is privileged and must receive a vote."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., both indicated that they will support the move.

"Signing on," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in response to Massie's post.

"I look forward to supporting this War Powers Resolution," Tlaib declared in a post. "The American people aren't falling for it again. We were lied to about ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in Iraq that killed millions + forever changed lives. It's unconst'l for Trump to go to war without a vote in Congress."

The Israel Defense Forces released a video Tuesday showing an Iranian anti-aircraft crew being taken out in a strike while trying to attack an Israeli plane. 

“An Air Force plane operating in Iranian airspace yesterday detected an Iranian launch cell launching anti-aircraft missiles towards it. Within seconds, it targeted the missile platform and eliminated the launch cell that carried out the operation,” IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X. 

The footage shows what appears to be two individuals disappearing in a large explosion. 

Adraee also said Tuesday that this is “The fifth day of Operation Rising Lion.  

“We continue to destroy the Iranian regime's strategic systems and deepen and expand the great achievements we have made,” he added. 

European Council President Antonio Costa, from left, Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a family photo during the G7 Summit, in Kananaskis, Alberta, on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Suzanne Plunkett/Pool Photo via AP)

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei is speaking out Tuesday against the joint statement from G7 leaders about the conflict in the Middle East. 

“G7 Leaders’ statement has revealingly disregarded Israel's blatant aggression against Iran, and the unlawful attacks on our peaceful nuclear infrastructure as well as indiscriminate targeting of residential areas and killing of our citizens,” Baqaei wrote on X. 

“Member States of G7, in particular the three permanent members of the United Nations Security Council must shoulder their legal and moral responsibility towards an egregious act of aggression against a U.N. member,” he added. 

“The G7 must abandon its one-sided rhetoric and address the real source of escalation: Israel's AGGRESSION,” Baqaei also said. 

In their statement, the G7 leaders said, “we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself” and “We reiterate our support for the security of Israel. 

“We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians. Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” they added. 

“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement read. 

President Donald Trump arrived in Washington, D.C., early Tuesday morning after abruptly leaving the G7 summit in Canada to address the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

Trump has reportedly requested that the National Security Council be prepared in the situation room.

"Because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.

Trump said Tuesday: "I have no desire to negotiate with Iran. I expect nothing less than their complete surrender."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga, on urged prayer for U.S. troops and the innocent people in Israel and Iran amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

"Pray for our troops," Greene wrote Tuesday on X. "Pray for the innocent people in Israel and Iran."

"War has bad consequences," she continued.

The Republican firebrand added: "We voted for America First."

The day before, she said people are now "finding out who are real America First/MAGA and who were fake and just said it bc it was popular."

"Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA," she said, adding that "wishing for murder of innocent people is disgusting" and "we are sick and tired of foreign wars."

"Real America First/MAGA wants world peace for all people and doesn't want our military killed and forever injured physically and mentally ... We have spent TRILLIONS in the Middle East and we have dealt with the aftermath of death, blown apart bodies, never ending suicides, and disabling PTSD," she continued.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while flying aboard Air Force One en route from Calgary, Canada to Joint Base Andrews, Md., late Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump said Tuesday as he was landing in Washington, D.C., that he has not reached out to Iran for peace talks "in any way, shape, or form."

"I have not reached out to Iran for 'Peace Talks' in any way, shape, or form," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This is just more HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS!"

"If they want to talk, they know how to reach me," he continued. "They should have taken the deal that was on the table - Would have saved a lot of lives!!!"

Trump arrived in Washington Tuesday morning after abruptly leaving the G7 summit in Canada to address the conflict between Israel and Iran.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his overnight flight back to Washington.

He accused Iranian leaders of being unwilling to reach an agreement over their nuclear program, and suggested he was now less interested in talking with them.

“They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal,” Trump said. “So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”