'Several Missiles Intercepted': Israel Lifts Air Raid Warnings; Loud Blasts Heard In Tehran | 10 Points

Last Updated:June 17, 2025, 21:19 IST

The Israeli military said in a statement that Iran had launched "several missiles" and "most of them were intercepted"

Smoke billows in the distance from an oil refinery following an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on June 17, 2025. Israel and Iran exchanged fire again, the fifth day of strikes in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Israel on Tuesday said it intercepted “most" of a salvo of fresh missiles from Iran, while lifting air raid warnings for its central and northern parts.

The Israeli military said in a statement that “several missiles" had been launched and “most of them were intercepted", while residents in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv and the north were told they could leave their shelters.

In Iran, loud blasts were heard in northern Tehran. News agency AFP reported a series of loud explosions in the Iranian capital as Israel kept up its strikes on the country’s military and nuclear facilities for a fifth day.

It was, however, not immediately clear if these blasts were the result of incoming Israeli strikes or Iranian air defence fire.

American President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has gone from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives in a span of about eight hours. He cut short his visit to the international G7 summit to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team.

He expressed frustration with Iranian leaders for failing to reach an agreement, adding that he wants “a real end" to the conflict and a “complete give-up" of Tehran’s nuclear programme. But other world leaders, particularly British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump had given no sign that the US will get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict.

Here’s all you need to know:

1. Iranian media reported widespread internet disruption as Israel and Iran traded fire for a fifth straight day. “Internet users in several provinces are reporting widespread internet disruption," the Ham Mihan newspaper reported. Other media carried similar reports. It was not immediately clear what caused the disruption. Iran has imposed internet restrictions since Israel launched its unprecedented aerial campaign against Iranian military and nuclear facilities on June 13.
2. Trump may decide that “further action" is needed to stop Iran’s nuclear program, Vice President JD Vance said while responding to speculation that the US could intervene in the conflict. “The president has shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military’s focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens. He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment," Vance said in a post on X.
3. The worsening security situation in the Middle East has seen foreigners scramble to evacuate. Some governments are using Iran’s land borders to get their nationals out. Iran shares land borders with seven countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. India, too, started evacuating its students via Armenia on Monday (June 16).
4. The IAEA said an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear complex at Natanz directly hit the underground uranium enrichment plant. The UN watchdog revised its assessment after initially reporting it had been hit only indirectly. “Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday’s attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz," it said, adding that there was “no change to report" at Iran’s two other major nuclear sites, Isfahan and Fordow.
5. Iran has banned government officials and their bodyguards from using all communication devices linked to the networks. The ban includes mobile phones, smart watches and laptops. Iran did not elaborate on the reason for the ban, which was reported by the semiofficial Fars news agency. However, it suggests Iran suspects Israel used digital signatures from electronics to launch its strikes, which have decimated Iran’s military leadership.

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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Tehran, Iran

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News world 'Several Missiles Intercepted': Israel Lifts Air Raid Warnings; Loud Blasts Heard In Tehran | 10 Points