June 14, 2025 The Wall Street Journal
Israel continued to strike Iran on Saturday, aiming to knock out missile launchers and air-defense sites as well as hitting targets in Tehran following a night of barrages that killed three in the area of Tel Aviv.
Little more than a day after Israel launched its sudden campaign of airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, senior military and civilian leaders, the country's military spokesperson Effie Defrin said 70 warplanes attacked more than 40 targets in Tehran overnight, flying over the capital for more than two hours to carry out attacks. Israeli drones are operating around the clock over Iran, an indication of Israel's dominance of the country's airspace.
“This is the deepest distance that we have operated so far in Iran,” Defrin said. “We created aerial freedom of action in western Iran up until Tehran.”
The military said planes remained in the air Saturday.
Israelis went about their daily business Saturday, some shrugging off Iran's bombardment but others were still shaken after at least three were killed and dozens of others were injured. Many residents were bracing for more nights in bomb shelters.
On Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that “Tehran will burn” if Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel. Most of the surface-to-surface missiles launched by Iran were intercepted, Israel’s military said. The U.S. assisted Israel in defending against Iran’s attack, a U.S. official said.
President Trump told The Wall Street Journal he had been aware of Israel’s plans to attack Iran: "Heads-up? It wasn’t a heads-up. It was, we know what's going on." Earlier, he urged Iran’s leadership to make a deal “before there is nothing left.”
Here’s what to know:
At least 78 people have been killed in the Israeli strikes. Iran's Revolutionary Guard commander Hossein Salami along with several generals were among the dead, punching a hole in Tehran’s military leadership.
Leaders and facilities in Iran's nuclear program also were hit in the barrage: Nine senior scientists and experts were killed and the Fordow enrichment plant also was struck, meaning the three core sites of Iran's nuclear program were hit.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military operation would last “as many days as it takes.” Israel planned 14 days of operations, a senior Israeli official said.
Long before Israel’s attacks, agents smuggled explosive drones and other guided weapons into Iran, an official said.