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What we know
- ESCALATING CONFLICT: Israel and Iran launched a new round of attacks as the conflict between the two heavily armed rivals enters its fourth day.
- G7 SUMMIT: President Donald Trump departed early from a Group of Seven summit in Canada to focus on the Israel-Iran conflict. In a joint statement, the G7 affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and said Iran is the “principal source” of instability in the Middle East.
- MOUNTING DEATH TOLL: At least 224 people have been killed since Israel began bombing Iran on Friday, Iranian state media reported, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed at least 24 people in Israel.
- SENIOR IRANIANS KILLED: Israeli airstrikes have wiped out much of supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s inner circle.
How Israel’s Iran strikes might supercharge the global nuclear arms race
Israel says it first bombed Iran to stop it from being able to produce nuclear weapons and the “existential threat” they would represent. But the conflict may in the long run serve the opposite purpose: illustrating to Tehran and other nuclear-aspirant nations that nuclear weapons are essential in shielding them against attack.
Countries such as North Korea already pointed to Libya, whose leader, Moammar Gadhafi, gave up his nascent weapons program but was toppled anyway in 2011 after a NATO intervention. That’s one of the reasons Pyongyang has developed its own arsenal — which is believed to have San Francisco and other U.S. cities within range — to protect itself against attempts at Western-backed regime change.
“If you look at the last five or six years, you’ve got a repeated series of incidents that demonstrate nuclear weapons are a really, really powerful deterrence,” said Robert Kelly, a professor specializing in nuclear proliferation at South Korea’s Pusan National University.
As Iran just found out, “if you don’t have them, you get bombed,” he said.
U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and branch in Tel Aviv to remain closed
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and the embassy branch in Tel Aviv will remain closed for another day as military strikes between Israel and Iran continue, the State Department said.
U.S. government employees in Israel are being told to shelter in place even as some — including family and non-emergency employees — have been authorized to leave the country.
The diplomatic mission to Israel said it could not help Americans who want to leave, and it noted that Ben Gurion Airport and Israel’s seaports remained closed.
The State Department said U.S. citizens in Iran, with which Washington does not have diplomatic relations, “face serious, increasing dangers” and should depart immediately. If they are unable to do so, they should “be prepared to shelter in place for extended periods,” the department said.
G7 affirms Israel’s right to defend itself and calls Iran 'principal source' of regional instability
Trump and other leaders of the Group of Seven nations said that Israel has a right to defend itself and that Iran is the “principal source” of regional instability as they called for peace in the Middle East.
“Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror,” the group, which is meeting in Canada, said in a statement late tonight. “We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”
The group also affirmed “the importance of the protection of civilians” and called for a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the region, including a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
A White House official had told NBC News earlier that Trump would not sign the statement. The president is headed back to Washington after leaving the summit early to focus on the Israel-Iran conflict.
Rubio will leave G7 with Trump
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is returning from the G7 tonight with Trump, a State Department spokesperson confirmed.
The summit will continue tomorrow, but the White House said Trump was cutting his trip short so he could deal with the intensifying situation in the Middle East.
Hegseth says he's heading to Situation Room
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he is headed to the White House Situation Room to meet with Trump and his national security team amid tensions in the Middle East.
The United States has repositioned warships and military aircraft in the region to respond if the conflict between Israel and Iran further escalates.
Hegseth didn’t provide details about what prompted the meeting. He said on Fox News late tonight that the movements were to “ensure that our people are safe.”
Hegseth’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, said on social media that “American Forces are maintaining their defensive posture.” The United States has helped Israel shoot down Iranian missiles.
Trump leaving G7 meeting 'for obvious reasons'
"I have to be back early for obvious reasons," Trump said tonight in Canada after he announced he would be leaving the G7 meeting early.
"We had a, just a really great relationship with everybody, and it’s really nice," he said. "I wish I could stay for tomorrow, but they understand. This is big stuff."
Trump has asked that the National Security Council be ready in the Situation Room when he returns from the summit, a U.S. official told NBC News.
Airports are closed across the Mideast, stranding tens of thousands
“The domino effect here is massive,” said retired pilot and aviation safety expert John Cox, who said the disruptions will have a huge price tag.
“You’ve got thousands of passengers suddenly that are not where they’re supposed to be, crews that are not where they are supposed to be, airplanes that are not where they’re supposed to be,” he told the AP.
Iran’s airspace is completely closed, and Israel has closed its main international Ben Gurion Airport “until further notice.”
Although airspace is still partly open in Lebanon and Jordan, the situation is chaotic at airports there. Neighboring Iraq’s airports have all closed because of its closeness to Iran. Some Iraqis stranded there have opted to leave by land.
Trump asks National Security Council to be in Situation Room when he gets back to White House
Trump has asked the National Security Council to be prepared in the Situation Room when he returns from the G7 summit, a U.S. official told NBC News.
Trump is cutting short his attendance at the Group of Seven summit in Canada because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the White House said this evening.
White House says Trump leaving G7 meeting in Canada to focus on Middle East
Trump plans to leave the G7 summit in western Canada early to return to Washington and focus on the situation in the Middle East, the White House said tonight.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump was returning "so he can attend to many important matters."
"President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer," she posted on social media. "Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State."
Earlier this evening, Trump on social media urged the estimated 10 million residents of Tehran to "immediately evacuate," though he did not provide further details.
Trump tells Tehran's estimated 10 million residents to leave 'immediately'
Criticizing Iran's leadership for failing to quickly agree to limitations on its nuclear ambitions, Trump today urged Tehran residents to "immediately evacuate."
“What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
It would likely be logistically complicated for Tehran, a city of nearly 10 million people, to evacuate. Since Israel’s strikes on the country began, airports in Iran and across the Middle East have been closed, and many roads have been blocked.
Trump opposed — and then reluctantly supported — Israel’s military action against Iran. The White House said earlier today that Trump will not sign any potential G7 statement calling for de-escalation.
Iranian and U.S. delegations wrapped up a round of talks in Rome last month over Iran's nuclear ambitions and the uranium enrichment that could ultimately fuel them.
At the time, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was potential for progress, and the two sides have continued to spar this month over the future of the uranium enrichment.
The United States is supporting Israel by sending a second aircraft carrier to the region, as well as warships with ballistic missile defense capabilities.
