al Jazeera:

Israel, Iran trade attacks; Trump urges Tehran evacuation

By Usaid Siddiqui and Stephen Quillen

Published On 17 Jun 202517 Jun 2025

• Blasts rock Tehran and air raid sirens go off in Tel Aviv as Israel and Iran exchange missile and drone attacks for a fifth day.
• The Israeli military claims killing Iran’s wartime chief of staff after Iranian media say preparations under way for what they call the largest and most intense missile attack on Israeli soil.
• US President Donald Trump issues a warning on social media, urging all residents of Tehran to flee and saying that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would not escalate hostilities, but would “end the conflict”.
• The death toll from Israel’s attacks on Iran has risen to more than 220, including 70 women and children. More than 20 people have been killed in Iranian attacks on Israel.

1m ago

 (07:50 GMT)

Trump ‘may’ send US VP, Middle East envoy to talk with Iran: Report

President Trump is considering sending US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet with officials in Iran, a news reporter says.

According to a CBS News reporter on board a flight back from Canada with Trump, the deployment of Witkoff or Vance “depends what happens when I get back” to Washington, DC, said the US president.

Trump added he wants a “real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran with Tehran “giving up entirely” on nuclear weapons, the CBS reporter posted on X.

The US leader predicted Israel would not be slowing its attacks on Iran. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far,” the CBS journalist quoted Trump as saying on Air Force One.

Trump made the comments during his midnight departure from Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven nations summit on Monday.