Monday, 25 May 2026
Relatives and friends of Daisy Yitzhaki, 85, who was killed during an Iranian missile attack, mourn during her funeral at Segula cemetery in Petah Tikva, Israel, Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
Iran's leader warns US against intervention, vows not to surrender
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday firmly dismissed U.S. demands for surrender amid relentless Israeli airstrikes and warned that any American military intervention would inflict “irreparable damage” on the United States, according to a statement broadcast by state television.
Khamenei’s comments—delivered as he made his first appearance since the strikes began—followed a social media post from U.S. President Donald Trump, AP reported.
Trump demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” and told Khamenei the U.S. knew his whereabouts but had no immediate plans to target him.
While Trump initially distanced Washington from Israel’s surprise assault last Friday that ignited the conflict, he has recently suggested the potential for deeper U.S. involvement and expressed a desire for “something much bigger” than just a ceasefire. The U.S. has reinforced its presence in the region by deploying additional warplanes.
Earlier Wednesday, an Iranian official warned that American intervention could trigger “all-out war.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei did not provide further details, but with thousands of American troops stationed across nearby nations within striking range, the U.S. has threatened a massive response to any attacks.
A separate Iranian official stated that Iran would continue enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, signaling resistance to Trump’s calls for halting the country’s controversial nuclear program.
According to the Israeli military, the latest bombardments targeted a facility producing uranium centrifuges and another manufacturing missile components. Israel also claimed to have intercepted 10 missiles overnight as Iran’s retaliatory attacks appeared to decrease. The U.N. nuclear watchdog confirmed strikes on two centrifuge production sites in or near Tehran.
Israel reported additional strikes in western Iran, hitting missile storage depots and a loaded missile launcher.
These operations have damaged or destroyed multiple Iranian military and nuclear sites, resulting in the deaths of top generals and nuclear scientists. An Iranian human rights organization based in Washington reported that at least 585 people—including 239 civilians—have been killed, with more than 1,300 wounded.
Iran has launched approximately 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliation, killing at least 24 individuals in Israel and injuring hundreds more. Some projectiles hit apartment buildings in central Israel, causing extensive damage and repeatedly sending residents scrambling for shelter.
Iran’s missile launches have become less frequent as the conflict continues, a decline the government has not addressed, though Israeli forces have targeted launchers and supporting infrastructure.
Human Rights Activists, the group monitoring casualties, identified 239 civilians and 126 security personnel among those killed by Israeli strikes. The organization, which also provided verified figures during the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, cross-references local accounts through a network of trusted sources in Iran.
The Iranian government has refrained from issuing regular casualty reports during the crisis and has historically downplayed such figures. The most recent update on Monday cited 224 deaths and 1,277 injuries.
Across Tehran, many shops—including those in the famous Grand Bazaar—have shuttered, with people forming long lines for gasoline and crowding outbound roads in efforts to escape the violence.
A powerful explosion echoed through Tehran around 5 a.m. Wednesday, following a series of blasts in the early hours. Iranian authorities, as has increasingly been the case amid intensifying Israeli strikes, did not acknowledge the attacks.
At least one airstrike appeared to hit the eastern Hakimiyeh district of Tehran, home to a Revolutionary Guard academy.