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Israel and Iran continued exchanging fire Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of strikes in what military officials describe as the most intense confrontation between the two nations in history. The escalating conflict has raised international concerns about a prolonged regional war.
The Israeli military reported detecting new missiles launched from Iran on Wednesday, with defensive systems activated to intercept the incoming threats. The announcement followed Iran's evacuation warning for residents of the Israeli city of Haifa, with Iranian state television subsequently reporting launches of Fattah hypersonic missiles.
Israeli forces responded by targeting "surface-to-surface missile launch and storage sites... striking those attempting to reactivate sites that have already been hit," according to military statements.
An unnamed Israeli military official said Iran had fired approximately 400 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones since Friday, with about 20 missiles striking civilian areas in Israel. Israel's air defense systems have largely succeeded in intercepting the daily barrages.
Iran was experiencing a "near-total national internet blackout," according to London-based watchdog NetBlocks. The Iranian communication ministry said Wednesday that heavier internet restrictions were being imposed due to Israel's "abuse of the country's communication network for military purposes."
Iranian media reported that Israel briefly hacked state television broadcasts, airing footage of women's protests and urging people to take to the streets. State television appealed to Iranians Tuesday to delete WhatsApp, claiming the messaging app gathers location and personal data and "communicates them to the Zionist enemy."
A WhatsApp spokesperson rejected the claims, expressing concern that "false reports will be an excuse for our services to be blocked."
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was considering whether the United States would join Israel's strikes, revealing that Iran had reached out seeking negotiations to end the conflict.
"I may do it, I may not do it," Trump told reporters. "I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate."
Trump said Iran had suggested sending officials to the White House for talks on Tehran's nuclear program to end Israel's air assault. When asked if it was too late for negotiations, he said: "Nothing is too late."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump a "great friend" of Israel in a televised statement, thanking him "for the support of the United States in defending Israel's skies."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned in a speech read on state television: "This nation will never surrender," adding that "America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that air force jets had "destroyed the internal security headquarters of the Iranian regime -- the main arm of repression of the Iranian dictator." AFP journalists reported hearing blasts across Tehran throughout the day, with smoke billowing over parts of the city.
Netanyahu acknowledged suffering "painful losses" Wednesday but said "the home front is solid, the people are strong." His office reported Monday that at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded since Iran's retaliatory strikes began Friday.
Iran said Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Foreign governments have begun evacuating their citizens from both countries, with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announcing plans Wednesday to remove Americans by air and sea.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israel to end strikes on targets in Iran not linked to nuclear activities or ballistic missiles, according to his office.
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