Tehran (TDI): The war between Iran and Israel entered its sixth day on Wednesday, with both sides unleashing a new wave of missile attacks. The situation on the ground has grown increasingly grave, and remarks from US President Donald Trump have added fuel to the fire, raising concerns about America’s potential role in the conflict.
Israel began the week with large-scale aerial attacks that struck deep into Iranian territory. The targets included nuclear installations, military outposts, and even civilian homes. The strikes reportedly killed several high-level Iranian officers, nuclear scientists, and non-combatants.
Israeli authorities described the operation, which they’ve named Rising Lion, as a strategic push to prevent Iran from advancing any nuclear weapons program. Tehran, however, insists its nuclear efforts are purely for energy and research purposes.
In response, early Wednesday saw Iran firing multiple missile salvos toward Israel. Residents of Tel Aviv were jolted awake by the sound of explosions overhead, as Israeli air defenses were activated. Simultaneously, Israel warned civilians living in and around Tehran to evacuate, as it planned strikes against what it labeled military infrastructure. Iranian media confirmed blasts in the capital and the nearby city of Karaj.
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Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that their forces used “Fattah-1” hypersonic missiles against in the latest attacks on Israel. In a televised message, the Guards declared that this was the 11th wave of a campaign they call Honest Promise 3. They also claimed that Iranian forces now have “complete control” over Israeli airspace, a statement international observers have not verified.
Casualty reports continue to vary. While Iran’s health ministry last confirmed 224 dead and over 1,000 injured, most of them civilians, a US-based rights group provided much higher figures. The group, Human Rights Activists, reported 585 fatalities and more than 1,300 injured in Iran alone, noting that over 200 of the dead were civilians.
Israel’s official numbers state that 24 people have died so far, most of them non-military. Thousands on both sides have either fled or been relocated due to the ongoing attacks.
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In a bold claim late Tuesday, Iran’s IRGC said it had targeted and hit a major Mossad intelligence facility in Tel Aviv, a claim reported by Iran’s Tasnim news agency, though not confirmed by Israeli officials.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s social media posts have raised eyebrows across the world. Writing on his Truth Social account, he declared, “We now have completely and total control of the skies over Iran,” a statement that drew immediate scrutiny for its use of “we,” suggesting US military involvement.
Although Trump has publicly stated that the United States is not yet part of the Israel-Iran war, he has warned Iran of harsh consequences if American troops or bases in the region come under fire. He also posted the words “unconditional surrender,” seemingly aimed at Iranian leadership.
In a more ominous message, Trump mentioned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggesting US intelligence knows his whereabouts. “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he wrote. “We’re not going to take him out, at least not for now.”
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
