Tel Aviv/Tehran: In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, the Israeli Army on Monday claimed it has gained full control of Tehran’s airspace, marking a significant development in the unfolding conflict between Israel and Iran.
Military spokesperson Effie Defrin, addressing the media, declared, “We can now say that we have achieved full air superiority in the skies over Tehran.” According to reports, over 50 Israeli fighter jets carried out coordinated strikes on more than 120 ballistic missile launch sites that had targeted Israeli cities since Friday.
Netanyahu ~
💀“Very soon, you will see Israeli Air Force jets over the skies of Tehran. We will strike every site and every target of the Ayatollah regime.”
This is confirmation that all SEAD/DEAD missions completed successfully.
🇮🇱 IAF now have complete air supremacy in Iran. pic.twitter.com/Li6gEPj1xL
— शून्य 🚩 (@Dave_Gaur) June 14, 2025
ברצוני להבהיר את המובן מאליו: אין שום כוונה לפגוע פיזית בתושבי טהרן כפי שעושה הדיקטטור הרוצח מול תושבי ישראל.
תושבי טהרן ייאלצו לשלם את מחיר הדיקטטורה ולהתפנות מבתיהם מאזורים בהם יהיה צורך לתקוף מטרות משטר ותשתיות ביטחוניות בטהרן.
נמשיך להגן על תושבי ישראל.
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 16, 2025
Tehran Residents ‘Will Pay the Price’: Israeli Defence Minister
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz further intensified the rhetoric, stating that residents of Tehran may be forced to evacuate areas near regime targets. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Katz warned:
“The residents of Tehran will be forced to pay the price of the dictatorship and evacuate their homes from areas where it will be necessary to attack regime targets and security infrastructure.”
He reaffirmed that protecting Israeli citizens remains the top priority.
Casualties Mount in Israel After Iranian Strikes
Amid retaliatory strikes by Iran, at least eight people were killed across Israel on Monday. Media reports confirmed fatalities in Petah Tikva (4), Haifa (3), and Bnei Brak (1).
The Israeli Health Ministry reported that 287 people were hospitalized nationwide due to injuries sustained in the missile barrage.
UN Chief Urges De-escalation, Warns of Civilian Toll
United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk voiced grave concern over the spiraling violence.
Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, he said:
“The military escalation between Israel and Iran is deeply worrying… I call for full respect of international law by both sides, particularly the protection of civilians in densely populated areas.”
He urged urgent diplomatic negotiations to halt the conflict.
US Embassy in Tel Aviv Damaged in Missile Strikes
The US Embassy in Tel Aviv sustained minor damage during Iranian missile attacks. US envoy Mike Huckabee confirmed that no injuries were reported, but operations at the embassy and consulate remain suspended under a “shelter in place” order.
“Some minor damage from concussions of Iranian missile hits near Embassy Branch in Tel Aviv but no injuries to US personnel,” Huckabee stated on X.
Trump Suggests ‘Fighting It Out’ Before Iran-Israel Deal
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump weighed in on the escalating crisis, saying Iran and Israel may “need to fight it out” before any peace deal can be reached.
“I hope there’s going to be a deal… but sometimes they have to fight it out,” Trump told reporters en route to the G7 Summit in Canada. He remained cautiously optimistic, adding, “I think there’s a good chance there will be a deal.”
