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Israel’s military campaign against Iran continued through Monday, and Iran fired another salvo of missiles towards Israel, but the headlines were grabbed by President Trump calling for immediate evacuation of Tehran.
Here's a brief summary of major developments as the conflict entered its fifth day.
Trump's remarks, US role
- President Trump said Tehran should be evacuated immediately in a social media post Monday night.
- Hours before, Trump said Iran and Israel “may have to fight to the end,” though peace is preferable.
- Trump declined to say if he asked Israel to pause attacks.
- Speculation grew that the US might join Israeli strikes after Trump’s early G7 exit and social media posts; his deputy assistant dismissed the reports as "fake news" on X.
- Defense Secretary Hegseth said US is “postured defensively” but all options remain on the table.
Israel hits Tehran air and intel sites
- Israel said it destroyed two Iranian F14 fighter jets on the ground at Tehran's Mehrabad airport.
- Israeli strikes hit Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB in northern Tehran, following an evacuation warning to all residents of District 3—an area with an estimated 300,000 people.
- Netanyahu told Iran International the strikes offer a chance for regime change.
- The Israeli army said 100 Iranian targets were struck in central Iran, and one-third of missile launchers were dismantled.
Iran launches more missiles, vows fight
- Iran launched dozens of missiles early Monday, killing at least eight in central Israel. Multiple missiles were also fired early Tuesday but left no casualties.
- IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour said Iran would continue operations even if Israeli strikes stopped.
- Eight IRGC and Basij members were killed in Khondab; two others in Zanjan.
Rising toll from ongoing hostilities
- Iran says more than 200 have been killed since Friday, including 14 nuclear scientists.
- At least 21 Israelis killed since the start of the conflict; a few hundred wounded.
- Rights group HRANA estimated 1100 casualties in Iran, killed and injured
- Israeli strikes killed four top Iranian intelligence figures in Tehran.
- Judiciary chief vowed wartime trials for alleged collaborators.
Civilians flee Tehran as strikes widen
- Almost every Tehran neighborhood has been struck, prompting a mass exodus.
- Heavy traffic was reported in major roads as people rushed to leave the capital for safer regions, especially by the Caspian Sea.
- Tehran’s bazaar shut down; addicts reportedly fled rehab centers into highways.
- Strikes hit hospitals and residential areas; Iran accuses Israel of war crimes.
Nuclear infrastructure suffers major damage
- IAEA chief Grossi said all 14,000 centrifuge cascades at Natanz were likely destroyed after a power loss.
- Satellite images show damage outside Fordow nuclear site.
- Iran’s mission to the UN in Vienna said continued NPT compliance was unjustified.
- Iran’s parliament is preparing a bill to withdraw from the NPT.
Diplomatic efforts
- 22 nations including Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia urged Israel to stop its campaign.
- Iran told Qatar and Oman it won’t negotiate a ceasefire while under attack but offered nuclear flexibility in exchange for a ceasefire, Reuters reported.
- French president Emmanuel Macron said President Trump has proposed a ceasefire to Iran and Israel.
- Foreign Minister Araghchi told European powers Iran never left the table but is now focused on self-defense.
War impacts air travel, oil, and trade
- Iran shut financial markets and extended flight bans until Tuesday morning.
- UK maritime agency warned of electronic interference in Persian Gulf waters.
- Russia began evacuating its citizens from Iran.
- Oil prices surged and over 1,800 flights were canceled worldwide.
A resolution introduced on Monday by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine aims to keep the United States out of a war with Iran, he told Iran International, while US President Trump attempted to head off some dissent among populist supporters.
"My main focus is i want to try to keep the United States out of another war in the Middle East," the Virginia lawmaker said. "I really want to focus on the United States side of this, so I filed a resolution this morning to say the United States should not be at war with Iran without a vote of Congress," Kaine added.
"Obviously, if Iran were attacking the United States, then we need to defend ourselves and you don't need to vote in Congress to do that but we should generally not be involved," he added.
Meanwhile Trump appeared keen to scotch some prominent dissent from luminaries in his populist coalition who voiced disapproval with American involvement in the conflict.
"AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Some of Trump's supporters have criticized Trump's hawkish stance on Iran as a deviation from his populist and anti-war campaign promises.
"Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!'" Trump added, referring to a top right-wing commentator who opposes conflict with Iran.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Green meanwhile torched fellow supporters of President Trump who call for the United States to attack Iran.
"Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA," @RepMTG posted on X. "We are sick and tired of foreign wars."
Kentucky Republic Thomas Massie said the United States had no place in the conflict and would aim to ensure congressional approval for any military action.
"This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution," he wrote on X. "I’m introducing a bipartisan War Powers Resolution tomorrow to prohibit our involvement."
For his part, left -wing stalwart Senator Bernie Sanders warned against more costly military entanglements in the region.
"Another war in the Middle East could cost countless lives, waste trillions more dollars, and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, and more displacement," Sanders wrote on X.
US President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to seek a meeting with Iranian officials as soon as possible, CNN reported citing a person familiar with the matter and a US official.
Trump aims to determine, CNN added, whether Iran is serious about diplomacy to end its conflict with Israel.
"What you're watching in real time is peace through strength, and America first. Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region, to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal, and we certainly hope that's what happens here," US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday evening.
"So when you see jets and you see air defense assets and counter UAS assets, that's because my job as the secretary of defense is to ensure that our people are safe and that we're strong, so that we can set the conditions for a deal," Hegseth added.
"And President Trump's made it clear, it's on the table. The question is whether Iran will take, it all right, so the deal is still on the table, but all options are on the table."
"We believe that Iran, as president has said from the beginning, should not have a nuclear weapon. That position hasn't changed," Hegseth said. "They can give it up peacefully. That position hasn't changed.
"As a result, right now, we've got assets in the region, and we're going to defend them, and we're going to we're going to be strong in the process ... We're strong, we're prepared, we're defensive and present."
A White House official denied an Israeli news report alleging US participation in Israeli attacks on Iran.
Alex Pfeiffer, an assistant to President Donald Trump and deputy communications director for the White House called the Channel 14 story "fake news".
