Israel launched dozens of strikes against Iran early Friday morning local time, striking at the heart of the country’s nuclear program, killing several nuclear scientists as well as high-ranking military leaders, according to Israeli officials.
Iran responded with an aerial attack involving about 100 drones, Israel said, but all of them were shot down before hitting their target.
The U.S. did not provide any assistance or have any involvement in the Israeli strike, a U.S. official told ABC News.
Latest Developments
Jun 13, 2:22 PM
Iran launches dozens of missiles toward Israel, Israel working to intercept: IDF
Iran has launched dozens of ballistic missiles toward Israel, which defense systems are operating to intercept, an Israeli military official said Friday.”The public is instructed to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice. Leaving the protected space is only permitted following an explicit directive. Continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command,” the IDF said in a statement.
PHOTO: Israelis stroll along the beachfront in Tel Aviv, June 13, 2025. (Leo Correa/AP)
Jun 13, 1:44 PM
US Embassy in Israel says no plans to evacuate Americans
U.S. government employees in Israel are still directed to shelter in place, with no plans to evacuate Americans or help with departures at this point.
“Ben Gurion Airport is currently closed, and there are no commercial or charter flights operating from there. Land crossings to Jordan are currently operating (although they are closed on Saturdays),” the government said.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
Jun 13, 1:46 PM
Israel strikes Iranian nuclear facility in Isfahan, IDF says
Israel has confirmed it struck a nuclear facility in Isfahan, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Effie Defrin said Friday evening local time.
“I can now confirm that we struck the nuclear facility in Isfahan. The operation is still ongoing,” Defrin said.
PHOTO: A graphic titled ‘Israeli army launches strikes on Iran’ created in Ankara, Turkey, June 13, 2025. (Yilmaz Yucel/Anadolu via Getty Images)
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Jun 13, 1:18 PM
US-Iran talks unlikely to happen this weekend, Iranian official says
It’s unlikely the sixth round of talks between the U.S. and Iran on a potential nuclear deal will happen this weekend in Oman, Iranian Member of Parliament Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Iranian TV Friday.
“We are on the verge of the sixth round, which I don’t think will happen with these developments, because they have, in fact, shown their entry into our red lines. Therefore, I think this is in connection with the nuclear issue,” Boroujerdi said, in an interview in Farsi.
Boroujerdi said Iran entered into the negotiations with a “fair amount of open-mindedness at the request of the United States.”
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff had been scheduled to meet with Iranian officials on Sunday prior to the overnight attacks.
Jun 13, 1:16 PM
Attacks will last for days, maybe even weeks, IDF official says
Israel’s attacks on Iran can be expected to last for days, maybe even weeks, an Israel Defense Forces official told ABC News. The goal is to get the job done, the source said, which means destroying Iran’s nuclear capability and missile arsenal.
Israel has complete control over the skies in Iran, having denuded the country of its air defenses in the previous two attacks last year, the source said.
The reason Iran hasn’t launched missiles in reprisal is not because it’s biding its time, but it’s because Israel has destroyed the missiles that were ready for launch, according to the source.
The source underscored that 200 or so Israeli jets flew a 2,000 mile round trip over other semi-hostile nations, like Syria and Iraq, without a single mishap and without a single casualty.
-ABC News’ Matt Gutman
Jun 13, 1:07 PM
Delta cancels all flights from New York-JFK to Tel Aviv through August
Delta Air lines has paused flights to Tel Aviv from New York-JFK through August 31 in response to the ongoing conflict in the region.
“Customers impacted by flight cancellations will receive notifications via the Fly Delta app and contact information listed in their reservation as these cancellations are processed in Delta’s system and may contact Delta or their travel agent for rebooking options,” Delta airlines said in a statement.
A travel waiver has been issued for all customers to and from Tel Aviv through Aug. 31.
-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney
Jun 13, 12:45 PM
Israeli attacks in Iran are ongoing
Israeli forces’ attacks on Iran are ongoing, according to the Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
“We are continuing with full force and at a high pace in order to meet the goals we have set for ourselves,” Zamir said in a statement Friday evening local time.
PHOTO: People look over damage to buildings in Nobonyad Square following Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi)
“We are continuing with the two main efforts we set for ourselves – the defensive effort and the offensive effort,” Zamir said. “I remind everyone that we are facing a dangerous and complex enemy, and we must maintain a very high level of readiness.”
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Jun 13, 12:26 PM
Israel preparing for more possible Iranian retaliation, Netanyahu says
The Israeli attack “created a state of chaos in Iran,” but Israel needs to assume “there will be an attack against us,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement Friday evening local time.
“It could be an attack in very severe waves,” Netanyahu said, in a statement made in Hebrew.
Israel is preparing for more potential Iranian retaliation, he said.
“Citizens of Israel, you need to understand, do not be euphoric,” Netanyahu said.
Residents check the remains of an Iranian projectile that was headed for Israel, after it fell in Syria’s southwestern Daraa province on June 13, 2025.SYRIA-IRAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT (Sam Hariri/AFP via Getty Images)
“We informed the Americans in advance. They knew about the attack. What the U.S. will do now I leave to the president. Trump makes decisions independently,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities because “if Iran has nuclear weapons, we won’t be able to be here, so that’s the first target.”
PHOTO: A graphic titled ‘Israeli army launches strikes on Iran’ created in Ankara, Turkey, June 13, 2025. (Yilmaz Yucel/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Netanyahu said he gave his military the directive to attack Iran after former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in Lebanon in September 2024. Netanyahu originally set the date of the attack for the end of April, but said it was “postponed” for “various reasons.”
Netanyahu said he wanted to attack Iran twice before but was unable to get a political majority to support the attack.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Jun 13, 12:17 PM
State Dept. warns of missiles, drones or rockets over Iraqi airspace
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is warning Americans of potential missiles, drones or rockets flying over Iraqi airspace, instructing them to “maintain maximum awareness” and seek cover in the event of an incident.
This alert is similar to another the State Department pushed out earlier this morning warning embassy personnel to shelter in place, which has since been canceled.
The department has also reissued an alert telling Americans not to travel to Iran, but Iran has long been a level 4 country — meaning Americans should not travel there under any circumstances and the State Department has repeatedly stressed this well in advance of last night’s strikes.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
Jun 13, 11:49 AM
Iranian minister calls attack ‘brazen,’ ‘unlawful’
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called Israel’s attack a “brazen and unlawful act of aggression” in an urgent letter to the United Nations Security Council Friday requesting an emergency meeting.
He called Israel “the most terrorist regime in the world,” saying it “has crossed every red line,” and asking the international community to not allow this attack to go unpunished. He said Iran will “respond decisively and proportionally” to the attacks.
PHOTO: Smoke billows from a site targeted by an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital Tehran, June 13, 2025. (Sepah News/AFP via Getty Images)
The attack is a “deliberate escalation that flagrantly violates the Charter of the United Nations and the most fundamental norms of international law,” Araghchi said in a letter submitted by the Iranian Permanent Mission to the U.N.
“This is not just merely a military attack against one nation—it is a direct assault on the principles that underpin the international legal order,” Araghchi wrote.
PHOTO: People look over damage to buildings in Nobonyad Square following Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi)
Araghchi asked the Security Council to “strongly condemn this act of aggression, and take urgent and concrete measures” to hold Israel accountable.
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