Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

Image source, Getty Images

According to his foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, in the fifty-minute conversation with Donald Trump, President Putin “condemned the Israeli operation against Iran".

No surprise here. Yesterday a Kremlin spokesman had "condemned the sharp escalation in tensions” in the Middle East.

But it’s clear that Moscow wants to avoid the situation in the Middle East scuppering Russia’s efforts to improve relations with Washington.

Despite Donald Trump’s suggestion yesterday that he and his team had known the Israeli attacks were coming, the Kremlin has voiced no public criticism of Washington.

Instead, Ushakov noted that in their telephone call Putin had wished Trump a happy birthday and had spoken about American Flag Day.

What’s more, according to the Kremlin, the two leaders expressed “satisfaction” with their personal relationship.

That will be music to the Kremlin’s ears.

Russia may well have concluded that good working relations with the Trump istration – plus Moscow’s offer to mediate in the Middle East – will make it increasingly unlikely that President Trump will exert pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have discussed current tensions between Iran and Israel in a phone call this morning, the White House says.

"President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well. We talked at length," the statement says, adding:

The global nuclear watchdog has just shared an update on the status of the Isfahan nuclear site in central Iran after it was repeatedly targeted by Israeli strikes yesterday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) writes on X that "four critical buildings" at the site were damaged "including the Uranium Conversion Facility and the Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant".

Several Iranian nuclear facilities are based in Isfahan, which Iran say are used for purely peaceful purposes, though Israel and Western powers have long suspected Tehran of secretly developing nuclear weapons.

The IAEA adds that there was no increase of off-site radiation at the Natanz plant, which was also targeted yesterday.

Image source, Getty Images

The conflict between Israel and Iran is a "powder keg [that] has already blown up", according to Robert Malley, the lead negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal during the Obama era.

Speaking to the BBC World Service’s Weekend, Malley says the current hostilities "may well last, and it may well head in a more dangerous direction".

He adds that he struggles to see how planned nuclear talks between Iran and the Trump istration could "resume any time soon".

The next round of negotiations was due to take place in Oman on Sunday - but the talks have been cancelled, according to mediator Oman.

"The Iranians… seem convinced that this was a ploy that Israel and the US put together to trick the Iranians into believing that a strike wouldn’t occur."

On the impact of Israel’s strikes, he says they have "accomplished a pretty extraordinary military and intelligence feat", but Iran still retains significant nuclear knowledge and capability.

• You can listen to the full interview with Robert Malley on BBC Sounds from tomorrow

Chris Mason and Isabella Allen
Political editor and senior political producer, travelling with the prime minister

Image source, Getty Images

The UK is sending more jets to the Middle East amid intense fighting between Israel and Iran.

The prime minister says military aircraft are being sent "for contingency across the region".

The UK already has RAF jets in the region as part of Operation Shader.

On his way to the G7 Summit beginning in Canada tomorrow, Keir Starmer tells reporters the situation is fast moving and there are intense discussions with allies at every level.

"The constant message is de-escalate", he says.

Discussions will continue today and over the coming days.

The prime minister will not be drawn on whether the UK will be involved in defending Israel.

"I had a good and constructive discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday, and that included discussions about the safety and security of Israel, as you would expect, between two allies."

He reiterates that the UK has "long-standing concerns" about Iran's nuclear programme and recognises Israel's right to self-defence.

"I am absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate", he says.

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

Regarding the talks that had been planned between the US and Iran on Sunday in Oman, a US senior istration official told the BBC: “While there will be no meeting Sunday, we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon.”

• What are the US-Iran talks about? Find out more here

Image source, Reuters

Tension has ramped up between Israel and Iran since Israel launched its attack on Friday.

Here’s the latest update from today:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has released a video message, threatening that warplanes will be seen over Tehran
• Israel says it has killed 20 Iranian military commanders since the operation began

• The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is continuing to bomb targets in Iran - Iran's president Pezeshkian is threatening a "more severe" response if Israel doesn't stand down
• Planned nuclear talks between the US and Iran for Sunday have been cancelled, according to Oman, after Iran called them “unjustifiable” after the Israeli attacks
• Israeli families are returning to collect belongings from the remains of their homes destroyed by an Iranian strike in Rishon LeZion, near Tel Aviv, our correspondent reports

We’ll keep bringing you updates as we get them. Stay with us.

Satellite images show extent of damage to Natanz nuclear sitepublished at 17:22 British Summer Time

17:22 BST

Image source, Reuters

By Paul Brown

Satellite imagery taken this morning by Maxar Technologies reveals damage to several buildings at Iran's Natanz nuclear site following Israeli strikes yesterday.

The location of the damage is consistent with verified footage from the scene captured yesterday which showed columns of smoke rising from the site.

The image shows severe damage to three buildings, and burn marks around two other structures - one of which appears to be an electrical substation.

Yesterday the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, told the UN Security Council that "the above-ground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, where Iran was producing uranium enriched up to 60% U-235, has been destroyed".

The images released by Maxar also show the Fordow enrichment facility and Arak heavy water reactor, although no obvious damage is evident at either site.

Iranian media reported that Fordow was targeted yesterday, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has denied this.

Image source, Reuters

Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has warned of a "more severe" response if Israel continues its attacks.

"The continuation of Zionist [Israeli] aggression will be met with a more severe and powerful response from the Iranian armed forces," Pezeshkian says, according to state media.

He reportedly made these comments during a phone call with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

How we verified an Israeli strike on an airport in Tehranpublished at 16:57 British Summer Time

16:57 BST

By Shayan Sardarizadeh

Social media s in Iran have been sharing footage showing the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Mehrabad airport, in west Tehran.

We have authenticated it. Here's how we did it:

One video, filmed from the vicinity of the airport, shows a fire with two thick columns of black smoke rising into the sky.

A second video, filmed from a car driving on Saidi highway, which runs adjacent to Mehrabad airport, shows the same two thick columns of smoke.

An Iranian man filming the video is heard to say: “This is Mehrabad… it’s 2:28am.”

Matching this with bird's-eye views of the airport and the highway on Google Earth, we can estimate that the impact of the strike was near a number of hangars in an area behind the main airport building.

Reports published by Iranian media today confirm a blast in an area behind the airport’s fourth terminal, adding that hangars housing Iranian fighter jets were the target.

Mehrabad was Tehran’s primary international airport until 2007, but now mainly serves domestic flights.

The next round of US-Iran nuclear talks set for Sunday will not go ahead, mediator Oman's foreign minister Badr Albusaidi says.

"The Iran US talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place," he writes on X. "But diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace."

Earlier, Iran’s foreign minister has said continuing talks with the US is “unjustifiable” given the current situation.

• What are the US-Iran talks about? Find out more here

Image source, GPO

We can now bring you more from Benjamin Netanyahu as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continues to strike targets across Iran.

The Israeli prime minister says his country aims to "thwart a dual threat" from Tehran - namely, "nuclear and ballistic missiles" - and says Israel has achieved its goals.

"We cannot afford for them to be able to build production capabilities for 20,000 missiles, so we have taken action to destroy their production capabilities, and that's what the IDF is doing now."

He adds: "We have paved a path to Tehran. In the very near future, you will see Israeli planes, the Israeli Air Force, our pilots, over the skies of Tehran."

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Rishon LeZion

Here in Rishon LeZion, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, an Iranian attack has turned a quiet suburban street into rubble and dust.

The force of the strike upended cars, razed homes, and killed at least two people in the city.

Twisted steel wiring pokes out from chunks of concrete and splintered wood. Scattered among the wreckage are children's toys and books.

Near me, a man carries away what looks to be a large oil painting, miraculously untouched in the attack.

All morning, families have been returning to the scene of this attack to try and recover what they can from what's left of their homes.

Earlier, we reported comments from Iran’s foreign minister, who said talks with the US on a nuclear agreement are now "unjustifiable".

Now, Iran's foreign ministry has given another update. A spokesperson, responding to reporters’ questions about the negotiations with the US that were set for Sunday, said: "Iran’s main focus in the current situation is countering enemy aggression."

He also accused the US of ing Israel’s operation, adding that holding talks with such a er would be "fundamentally meaningless".

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country will strike "every site and every target of the ayatollah regime" in Iran.

"We have dealt a very severe blow to Iran's main enrichment site and if necessary we will also hit it again," he says in a newly-released video message.

"There is a huge threat from ballistic missiles, we have taken action to destroy Iran's ballistic missile production capabilities," he adds.

We’ll soon bring you more from his statement.

The Israeli military says it has killed the head of intelligence for Iran’s armed forces, Gholam-Regha Merhabi.

They now say they have killed more than 20 Iranian military commanders since their operation began.

The Israel Defense Forces say Merhabi was involved in intelligence work and managing attacks on Israel over the past year.

Earlier today, Iran’s state-run media reported that Gen Mehdi Rabbani, the deputy head of operations, was also killed in the strikes.

• For more on Iranian commanders whose deaths had previously been confirmed, you can read this piece

Joe Inwood
World news correspondent

Benjamin Netanyahu has long signalled his desire to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, meaning Tehran has long prepared for any such attack.

From the very beginning, Israel targeted Iran’s air defences. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has released multiple videos showing missile batteries being destroyed.

This afternoon, IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin says Israel has “air freedom all the way to Tehran”.

But air defences are not the only thing protecting Iran’s extensive nuclear operations.

Many of Iran’s most important facilities are buried deep underground, protected by layers of earth and reinforced concrete.

The fuel enrichment plant at Fordow, for example, is thought to be around 80m (262ft) below the surface, while analysts say a new facility at Mt Kolang is even deeper.

Targeting sites like this requires specialist bombs, such as the GBU-57/B, or Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). Colloquially known as "bunker busters", this huge 30,000lb bomb is capable of destroying targets buried under about 60m of reinforced concrete.

But the US is not currently taking part in the strikes, and Israel does not possess the MOP.

As for what they do have, the most effective weapons they possess are the ROCKS or the Air LORA, air-launched ballistic missiles capable of destroying up to 6m of reinforced concrete.

According to Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), attacking a deep facility with these would require multiple precise strikes at the same point to "burrow down".

With each strike destroying around 6m of concrete, reaching sites like Fordow or Mt Kolang looks like a remote prospect.

According to Alon Pinkas, who advised two Israeli prime ministers, Israel simply does not possess the stocks of munitions for the task.

The more realistic option would be to target entry and exit tunnels, rendering the facilities unusable.

The issue with this strategy, according to the RUSI report, is that Iranian efforts to dig down to the facilities and re-establish access "would likely begin almost immediately". All of which serves to explain why Bronk and others say destroying Iran's nuclear programme through military means is "not feasible". Undoubtedly it can be set back, especially through the extensive assassinations of top scientists, but as long as the regime survives, it will attempt to build back.

As fighting between Iran and Israel moves into a second day, the BBC World Service has put out a special edition of the Global News Podcast.

The episode looks at the mood in both countries and asks where the conflict could go next - you can listen on BBC Sounds.

About an hour ago, an IDF spokesperson has held a press conference, saying that the military is "still striking" in different parts of Iran.

Effie Deffrin says a "series" of strikes against various targets have taken place in the last 24 hours, with more than 150 hit.

In Tehran, missiles and air defence systems were among the targets, she adds, while a nuclear site in Isfahan was also hit.

Image source, Reuters