Tel Aviv: Jun 23 (AP) Israel’s military said Monday it was striking around Iran’s western city of Kermanshah, as fears of a wider regional conflict loomed large after the United States inserted itself into Israel’s war by attacking Iranian nuclear sites.
The operation raised urgent questions about what remained of Tehran’s nuclear programme and how its weakened military might respond. The price of oil rose as financial markets reacted. Iran lashed out at the US for crossing “a very big red line” with its risky gambit to strike the three sites with missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.
President Donald Trump, who has warned of additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against US forces, has mused about the possibility of “regime change” in Iran, despite administration officials earlier indicating they wanted to restart talks with Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an interview with CBS, said: “Let’s meet directly.” Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said any country used by the US to strike Iran ”will be a legitimate target for our armed forces,” the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Tens of thousands of American troops are based in the Middle East. Iran described the new missile barrage targeting Israel as a new wave of its operation “True Promise 3,” saying it is targeting Haifa and Tel Aviv.
Iranian state television said Tehran used a mix of missiles and drones. Britain’s foreign minister says he is confident the US is not seeking to overthrow Iran’s government despite a social media post from President Donald Trump suggesting it might be a good idea.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Monday that “it’s clear from Israel and the United States that they’re not going after the civilian leadership” in Tehran. He said “that’s not what’s under consideration at this time.”
Lammy said he spoke to Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday, and the UK is pushing to “get the Iranians back to serious diplomacy.”