The Second week of fighting sees deadly airstrikes and mutual missile launches
Tensions between Iran and Israel have entered a second week, with no signs of cooling. Fresh airstrikes over the weekend intensified the crisis, while talks aimed at de-escalation appear to be going nowhere. Iran has now openly accused the U.S. of backing Israeli aggression and urged President Trump to step in.
“This war can end with one phone call,” an Iranian official told CNN. But Trump, while speaking from New Jersey, said that asking Israel to stop would be “very hard if someone is winning.”
Hope for peace was briefly lit during talks in Geneva, where Iran and European countries tried to find common ground. However, Iran made it clear: its uranium program is non-negotiable. Tehran said it won’t stop enrichment, calling it a “bold red line.”
Trump has given the negotiators two weeks to deliver results—otherwise, he might authorise a strike on Iran.
On Saturday, Israeli fighter jets bombed a major nuclear research site in Isfahan. Authorities say no toxic leaks occurred, but nearby residents were told to stay away. In Qom, a missile strike hit a residential area, killing a 16-year-old and injuring four.
Iran struck back with missiles and drones aimed at Israeli cities. One missile caused a fire in Holon, near Tel Aviv. Several drones were intercepted in the north and south of Israel.
Iran Points the Finger at the U.S.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of pretending to pursue peace while covering up Israeli operations. He said, “We no longer know how to trust them,” in an interview with NBC News.
Araghchi travelled to Turkey to attend an emergency OIC meeting in Istanbul, where he plans to address Muslim leaders and meet President Erdoğan.
Amid rising fears, India has announced it will evacuate all 10,000 of its citizens from Iran, asking them to contact the embassy immediately. Meanwhile, Israel continues to warn that Iran’s missile reserves are running low, but Tehran disagrees.
“We have moved from quantity to quality,” an Iranian official claimed, hinting that their new missiles can dodge Israeli defence systems.
In Iran’s capital, life is cautiously resuming. Shops have reopened, and traffic is back, but air defence systems stay active, especially at night. The city remains on alert.
Military experts believe Iran might prolong the conflict to pressure Israel and gain global attention. Professor Afshon Ostovar says Iran knows it has little to lose at this stage, and dragging things out may be its only card left.
With diplomacy stalled and both sides preparing for more combat, the fear now is that this war could spiral beyond the region, with peace nowhere in sight.
