Attacks between Israel and Iran continue, as a new wave of Iranian missiles was launched early Monday, June 16, amid calls for de-escalation. Israel’s airstrikes also continue in Gaza, where the death toll keeps rising.

On Friday, June 13, Israel launched its first attack on Iran, targeting the top echelon of the country’s military command and damaging its nuclear sites. In justifying the attack, Israel argued that it was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Iran responded by saying that its nuclear programme is peaceful and external actors, including the US, have assessed that the country has not pursued a nuclear weapon since 2003. However, the country has also amassed stockpiles of uranium in recent years, coming near weapon-grade levels. It was believed that they had enough to develop multiple weapons within months, if they chose to do so.

Israel, which is itself believed to have developed its own nuclear weapons, is one of the four countries in the world that have not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

According to advocacy group Human Rights Activists, at least 406 people have died in Iran as a result of Israel’s assault, while 654 were wounded, including many civilians. In response to the assault, Iran vowed to “open the gates of hell”.

Over 24 people, including children, were killed by Iran’s missiles, while more than 500 were wounded, Israel has said. After days of attacks, the Israeli military said that they now had achieved “full air supremacy in the Tehran airspace”, having destroyed more than a third of Iran’s surface-to-surface missile launchers.

As the attacks escalated, US president Donald Trump issued a statement saying that, while the US had “nothing to do” with the assault on Iran, “if we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US armed forces will come down on you at levels never seen before”.

He also said that the Trump administration could “easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict”.

The Israel-Iran crisis is expected to be the topic of discussion at the G7 summit set to take place this week in Alberta, where leaders of the host nation Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US will meet.

In Ireland, efforts to assist Irish citizens seeking to leave Iran and Israel have begun. Tánaiste Simon Harris said, “With airspace closed, it is extremely challenging, which is why we are examining land border options too.” He also reiterated advice not to travel to either country.

Some have pointed out that the confrontation between Israel and Iran might deflect attention from Israel’s ongoing genocidal war on Gaza. Breaking the Silence, an organisation of former Israeli soldiers who oppose the occupation of Gaza, said in a statement: “We’ve been here many times before. We know what comes next. Sirens. Rockets. Destruction. Deep fear for our people, our friends and our families.

“And then, almost like clockwork, this fear, our fear, is used. Weaponised to erase any kind of criticism about what’s happening in Gaza and about our bloodthirsty government. All to throw us all into another bloody cycle of violence with zero diplomatic efforts.”

Airstrikes continue to kill civilians in Gaza, with over 55,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the Hamas-led attacks of October 2023.

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