LIVE UPDATES | Iran and “Israel” exchange fire as US weighs direct military intervention

Australia has temporarily shut down its embassy in Tehran and withdrawn all diplomatic staff from Iran, citing a worsening security environment in the region, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Friday.

In a statement outlining the government’s response, Wong confirmed that while the embassy is no longer operational, Australia’s ambassador to Iran will remain stationed in the region to assist with ongoing crisis efforts.

“We are continuing planning to support Australians seeking to depart Iran, and we remain in close contact with other partner countries,” Wong said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister delivered a strongly worded statement on Friday, rejecting any negotiations with the US and accusing it of direct complicity in what he described as an 'Israeli' assault on Iran.

“We will not hold talks with the US because it is a partner in the Israeli crime committed against us,” the minister said.

According to the Iranian official, Washington had attempted to initiate backchannel negotiations through mediators. “The United States requested negotiations through mediators, but we refused and have had no contact with the Americans,” he stated.

Amid heightened regional tensions following recent military escalations, the foreign minister emphasized that Iran’s armed forces would continue resisting pressure. “The fierce resistance of our armed forces is gradually proving that surrender is not an option for us,” he declared.

In a direct comparison with 'Israeli' military conduct, the minister defended Iran’s approach, saying, “Iran never targets civilian areas, especially hospitals, unlike Israel, which deliberately struck hospitals in Gaza.”

While ruling out any discussions with Washington, the minister noted that Iran is continuing talks with European nations, but with a limited scope. “Our negotiations with European countries in Geneva are limited to the nuclear file and regional issues,” he confirmed.

'Israeli' Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a sharp warning to Hezbollah on Friday, cautioning the group against taking part in the ongoing war between Iran and 'Israel'.

The statement comes after Hezbollah, a key Iranian ally based in Lebanon, signaled its readiness to respond “as we see fit” in light of the escalating confrontation.

“I suggest the Lebanese proxy be cautious and understand that Israel has lost patience with terrorists who threaten it,” Katz said. “If there is terrorism — there will be no Hezbollah.”

Additionally, Katz stated that the group’s leadership had not learned from the fate of its predecessors.

“The secretary-general of Hezbollah hasn’t learned from the fate of his predecessors and is threatening to act against us,” Katz said in a statement.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared on Friday that 'Israel' is currently “being punished,” in what appears to be a direct reference to the ongoing escalation between Iran and the Israeli Occupation.

“The Zionist enemy is being punished. It is being punished right now,” Khamenei posted on X.

The Zionist enemy is being punished. It is being punished right now.

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 20, 2025

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that two of its members were killed in the city of Abhar in western Iran as a result of an 'Israeli' attack.

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) announced on Thursday that it had carried out a wave of airstrikes targeting missile production facilities and military sites deep inside Iran, including in the capital, Tehran.

“We bombed several industrial sites for missile production in Tehran,” the IOF said in a statement, adding that dozens of other military objectives across Iran were also hit in the coordinated attacks.

An explosion rocked the southern 'Israeli' city of Be’er Sheva following the reported fall of an Iranian missile on Thursday. The blast caused panic in the area, with emergency services rushing to the scene.

According to 'Israeli' Channel 12, paramedics are currently providing medical treatment to around 31 individuals.

'Israeli' Channel 12: Paramedics are treating around 12 people in Be’er Sheva

Explosion in Be’er Sheva after an Iranian missile strike.

Sirens activate in “Israel” after missiles launched from Iran

"Israel" military detects missiles launched from Iran

US intelligence agencies continue to assess that Iran has not yet decided to build a nuclear weapon, despite possessing enough enriched uranium to do so – according to senior officials cited by the New York Times.

This assessment remains unchanged since March, even as “Israel” steps up attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.

Senior officials caution that Iran may pivot toward bomb production if provoked by military action against key sites like Fordo or in the event of the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The debate over Iran’s nuclear intentions has reignited amid pressure from hawkish voices in the US and “Israel”.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly told the White House that Iran is nearing the technical threshold for a weapon. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt echoed this, saying Iran needs only a political decision to begin building a bomb, which could take as little as two weeks.

Some US officials cite “Israeli” intelligence, particularly Mossad’s estimate that Iran is just 15 days away from producing a bomb.

However, others within the American intelligence community challenge that timeline, maintaining that Iran would likely need several months to a year to complete a functional weapon

Officials also note that no new intelligence has been collected, only new interpretations of existing data – said the NYT report.

Iran’s current uranium stockpile, enriched to 60%, must reach 90% purity to become weapons-grade.

Beyond that, Iran would need to assemble and potentially miniaturize a bomb for missile deployment.

While Iran has the technical capacity to build such a device, US officials say there's no clear evidence it has begun doing so.

Some experts believe Iran could opt for a simpler, less advanced bomb akin to the Hiroshima-era design, which would not require missile capability.

Despite these assessments, concerns persist. General Michael E. Kurilla told Congress that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one bomb in a week, and enough for 10 bombs within three weeks.
Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard has warned that Iran’s uranium stockpile is at an unprecedented level for a non-nuclear state.

Fars News Agency reported that air defense systems were activated over the northern Iranian city of Rasht early Friday to intercept “hostile aerial targets”. 

The agency also noted that a loud explosion was heard near the outskirts of the city’s industrial zone.

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Thursday after talks at the White House with Secretary of State Marco Rubio that there is still time to reach a diplomatic solution with Iran over its nuclear program, to avert a wider conflict.

"The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon," Lammy said in a statement released by the UK embassy in Washington.

"We discussed how Iran must make a deal to avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," Lammy said of his talks with Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization announced early Friday that it has extended the closure of the country’s airspace and suspended all flights nationwide until 2:00 PM local time.

US military aircraft have been pulled from the tarmac of the biggest US base in the Middle East – Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – according to satellite images published by Planet Labs PBC.

This includes transport planes such as the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft, in what possibly seems to be a move to shield them from possible Iranian strikes in the case the US strikes the Islamic Republic.

The images showed several aircraft parked on the tarmac on June 5; which can no longer be seen as of June 19.

Al Udeid base in Qatar would be vulnerable to Iranian strikes in the case of escalation, given its close proximity to Iran.

The planes were either moved to inside the hangars or to other bases in the Middle East.

The US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack warned Lebanese group Hezbollah on Thursday against getting involved in the war between its main backer Iran and “Israel”.

Barrack, who is also the US ambassador to Turkey, is on his first visit to Beirut, where he met top Lebanese officials including parliament speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah.

"I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack said after his meeting with Berri, responding to a question on what the US position would be on any involvement by Hezbollah in the war.

In a statement, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the group will "act as we see fit".

"Tyrannical America and criminal Israel will not be able to subjugate the Iranian people and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," Qassem said.

Hezbollah, he added, still had "the responsibility to stand by Iran and provide it with all forms of support that contribute to putting an end to this tyranny and oppression".

Hezbollah suffered devastating losses in its war against “Israel” last year, which ended with a ceasefire agreement in November.

The WHO's leader on Thursday denounced attacks on health facilities in the Iran-“Israel” war as "appalling", urging all sides to protect hospital buildings, staff and patients.

"The escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran is putting health facilities and access to health care at risk. The reports on the attacks on health so far are appalling," World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he welcomed "all help" with destroying Iran's nuclear sites, nearly a week into major “Israeli” air raids on the Islamic republic.

“Israel” is "capable of striking all of Iran's nuclear facilities" but "all help is welcome", Netanyahu told public broadcaster Kan, also saying that US President Donald Trump "will do what is good for for the United States, and I will do what is good for the State of Israel".

Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in the space of a "couple of weeks," the White House said Thursday, as US President Donald Trump debated whether to take military action against the Islamic republic.

"Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Thursday that the group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between its main backer Iran and “Israel”.

In a statement, Qassem said Hezbollah was "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression".

This comes after the US special envoy for Syria warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war.