The statement came after it conducted strikes targeting top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists in Tehran, prompting a large-scale barrage of ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation from Iran.

Describing the strikes as a “decisive moment in Israel’s history”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the operation would continue for days.

“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history. Moments ago, Israel initiated Operation Rising Lion, a precise military campaign aimed at countering the Iranian threat to our very existence. This operation will persist for as long as necessary to eliminate this danger,” Netanyahu said.

Here are the key events:

June 13

Israel, on Friday, caught Iran off guard with its air force jets hitting over 100 targets in the country, including Tehran. The barrage of ballistic missiles killed at least 20 senior commanders, according to news agency Reuters.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to the attacks, saying, “The Zionist regime (Israel) will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured.”

Hours later, Iran fired around 100 drones at Israel, which killed 13 and wounded 34 others.

June 14

Israel intensified its airstrikes on Iranian targets, expanding its military campaign to include the country’s energy industry, as Iran continued to fire missile salvoes aimed at Israel.

June 15

Israel launched airstrikes across Iran for the third consecutive day, targeting key military and infrastructure sites.

Iranian ballistic missiles struck Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa, wounding at least 30 people, emergency responders said.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was not only defending itself but also the world by stopping Iran from making nuclear weapons.

He claimed that the two assassination attempts on US President Donald Trump were orchestrated by Iran, adding that Iran also attempted to kill him, as a missile fired by Iran struck the bedroom window of his home.

“They (Tehran) want to kill him (Donald Trump). He’s enemy number one,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News.

June 16

Powerful explosions, likely from Israel’s defence systems intercepting Iranian missiles, rocked Tel Aviv shortly before dawn on Monday, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky over the coastal city. Authorities in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva said that Iranian missiles had hit a residential building there, charring concrete walls, shattering windows and ripping the walls off multiple apartments, killing one person, as reported by CNN.

One missile fell near the American consulate in Tel Aviv, and its concussion caused minor damage, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said.

Israel, on the other hand, struck the command centre of Iran’s Quds Force, a special military unit that coordinates support for Iranian allies in the Middle East and reports directly to the country’s supreme leader.

It also hit Iran’s broadcasting authority, and footage showed a newsreader hurrying from her seat as a blast struck. Iranian state television said the strike killed three people.

June 17

The Israeli military released a statement on Tuesday saying that Ali Shadmani, Iran’s newly appointed wartime chief of staff, was killed. Shadmani was the senior-most military commander in Iran and was appointed to the post after the assassination of his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid, by Israel over the weekend.

Trump calls for immediate evacuation in Tehran

Trump called for an immediate evacuation in Tehran and mocked Iran for not signing a deal to halt its nuclear development, throwing his weight behind Israel.

“Iran should have signed the “deal” I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran,” he wrote in a post on his Truth Social account.

G7 leaders back Israel’s ‘right to self-defence’

The G7 leaders issued a joint statement on the Israel and Iran conflict, backing Tel Aviv’s right to defend itself, condemning Iran for being the “principal source of regional instability and terror”.

“We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. 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,” the statement read.

“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. We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability,” it added.

Trump’s abrupt exit from G7

Trump exited the G7 summit in Canada a day prior, stating, “I have to be back early for obvious reasons.”

He then denied French President Emmanuel Macron’s claims of offering to broker a peace deal between Israel and Iran and said, “Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a “cease fire” between Israel and Iran. Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned.”

June 18

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a post on his official X account, said “In the name of God, the battle begins.”

We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime.
We will show the Zionists no mercy.

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 17, 2025

In another post, he issued a battle cry stating, “We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy.”

Hours later, Trump claimed that Iran has “reached out” and expressed willingness to negotiate.

However, he warned that “it may be too late now” and added that he hasn’t yet decided on whether to support Israel militarily in the event of further escalation.

“Iran wants to talk, they’ve reached out,” Trump told reporters outside his Mar-a-Lago residence, news agency Reuters reported. “But they waited too long. We’ll see what happens. No decision on Israel yet.”

Trump, when asked if Washington would enter the conflict, said: “I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

(With inputs from agencies)