Trump orders evacuation of Tehran after escalation with Israel
Bombings destroyed launchers, military bases, and hospitals in Iran, while Netanyahu claims to have halted the development of the Persian atomic program for years.
Israel expands its military campaign against Tehran five days after the surprise attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, while U.S. President Donald Trump issues an urgent evacuation alert for residents of the Persian capital. “IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump wrote before returning early from the G7 summit in Canada. Israeli authorities ordered the evacuation of 330,000 residents from central Tehran, a city of 10 million people.
Intense fighting leaves hundreds of casualties
Israeli attacks on military leaders, nuclear scientists, and enrichment plants have caused at least 224 deaths since Friday, according to official figures. Iran responded by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones into Israeli territory, resulting in 24 deaths and over 500 injuries. The Iranian military fired a new barrage on Tuesday, with explosions reported in northern Israel.
Human rights groups such as Human Rights Activists documented over 400 deaths, including 197 Iranian civilians, a figure significantly higher than government reports. Iranian health authorities reported 1,277 people injured in the bombings. Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes despite Israeli accusations.
Panic in Tehran Causes Mass Exodus
The center of Tehran began to empty during the early hours of Tuesday, with shops closed and the historic Grand Bazaar inactive, a situation that had only occurred during anti-government protests or the peak of the pandemic. The roads to the west are experiencing heavy traffic as evacuees head towards the Caspian Sea area. Long lines formed at gas stations while Iranian authorities insist that everything is under control.
Israel claims to have achieved “total air superiority over the skies of Tehran” after destroying more than 120 ground-to-ground missile launchers in central Iran. The Israeli army attacked 10 command centers belonging to the Quds Force and destroyed two Iranian F-14 fighter jets. Israeli forces issued evacuation alerts for areas that include state television and three major hospitals.
Netanyahu rolls back Iran’s nuclear program
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacks have delayed the Iranian nuclear program “for a long, long time” and maintains daily contact with Trump regarding the crisis. Israel has attacked several nuclear sites but has not managed to destroy the Fordo enrichment facility, which is buried deep underground. To eliminate this facility, the 14,000-kilogram GBU-57 bunker buster bomb, which only the United States possesses, is required and must be launched by a B-2 bomber.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the White House Situation Room to meet with the national security team. Trump denied that his early return from the G7 was to work on a ceasefire, stating that “it’s much more important than that” without providing details. Iranian Minister Abbas Araghchi called for U.S. intervention, writing that “it only takes a phone call from Washington to silence someone like Netanyahu.”