Iran–Israel wa

The Iran–Israel war, or the Twelve-Day War (13 June – 24 June 2025), was a Middle Eastern military conflict. The conflict began with Israeli surprise attacks on key military and nuclear facilities in Iran,[40][41] assassinated top military leaders, nuclear scientists,[42] and politicians,[43][44][45] and took out or destroyed air defenses.[46] Iran retaliated with over 550 ballistic missiles and over 1,000 suicide drones,[47][48][49] hitting civilian population centers,[50][51] one hospital[52][53] and at least a dozen military, energy, and government targets. The US countered Iranian attacks, and bombed three Iranian nuclear sites on 22 June.[54][55] Iran retaliated with missiles fired at a US base in Qatar. The US pressured Israel and Iran to broker a ceasefire on 24 June.[56][57][58]}

The war followed a decades-long proxy war. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel, and armed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, both entered open conflict with Israel. Israel bombed Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, and killed senior Iranian officials, in April 2024.[59][60] Direct conflict ran through April and October.

Iran's nuclear program has been a global cause of concern for over a decade. Israel views it as an existential threat. In 2015, six nations[h] under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) lifted sanctions against Iran, which suspended its nuclear program.[65][66] In 2018, US president Donald Trump withdrew unilaterally from the plan. Iran began to store enriched uranium[i][65][67][68] and halted IAEA monitoring primarily.[65][69] Prior to Israel's attack the day before, the IAEA rendered Iran in default of its nuclear obligations on the United States' motion, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.[70][71].

Iran's nuclear facilities were largely destroyed.[72][73][74] The IAEA and most observers estimate that Iran has removed its enriched uranium and was only delayed a few months in its nuclear program.[k] Other observers and Israeli and Western leaders estimated that the delay was well over a few months.[73][79] Iran halted its cooperation with the IAEA, which it charged had passed information on nuclear facilities and scientists to Israel.[80]

In Iran, at least 4,870 civilians were killed or wounded,[81] tens of thousands were made homeless,[31] and there were government internet blackouts.[82] Israel bombed a hospital,[83][84][85] and residential high-rise buildings, e.g., apartments.[86] Iran struck apartments, a university, and a hospital. Enhanced censorship in Israel obscured the extent of physical damage.[87][88]}

The International Commission of Jurists and other jurists argued that the Israeli attacks violated international law.[89][90][91] The United Nations and the majority of countries denounced and urged diplomacy.[l] Some countries denounced Israel's attacks,[m] most of the Muslim and Arab world.[105][n] The majority of Western and other countries supported the attacks to cut back nuclear proliferation, and summoned Iran to sign a nuclear deal.[o].