Iran says more than 400 people killed in Israel strikes

Iran says more than 400 people have been killed and at least 3,000 others wounded since Israel launched its attack on June 13.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says it would be “very dangerous for everybody” if the United States joins Israel’s “aggression”.Afghan refugees flee Iran as Israel steps up attacks
According to the UN’s refugee agency, more than four million Afghans who escaped war and fear of persecution are living in Iran.

But the fighting between Israel and Iran has raised safety concerns with some Afghans forced to return to a country they left decades ago.

“The war in Iran has changed everything. As the violence grew closer, we feared for our lives and had no choice but to leave early,” said Nasima Ghaffari, an Afghan returnee. “Now that we’re back in our own country, we’ve returned with nothing — no money, no home, just uncertainty.”

It’s not just the Afghans fleeing. Hundreds of Pakistanis have also been crossing the border each day to reach Pakistan.Israel’s army praises ‘amazing achievements’ in attack on Iran
The Israeli military’s chief spokesman, Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, says the army has been told by Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir to be prepared for a “prolonged campaign” to destroy Iranian targets.

These include nuclear sites, enrichment facilities, and missile infrastructure, said Defrin.

“We are deepening our strikes night after night and we have amazing achievements,” he said. “We will continue until the threat is removed.”Explosions heard in Iran’s Khuzestan: Reports
Local media outlets are reporting that explosions have been heard in the city of Ahvaz and at the port of Mahshahr, located in Khuzestan province, southwestern Iran.

Fars news agency said air defence systems had been activated in the areas.

It comes shortly after the Israeli army said it was attacking “military infrastructure” in southwestern Iran.

We’re monitoring this and we’ll bring you more information as soon as we have it.‘Trump clearly enjoying having all attention focused on him’
We’ve spoken to Dan Perry, an Israeli affairs analyst and the former regional editor of AP in the Middle East, about the impact on the conflict of Trump’s declaration that he would make a decision on US action within two weeks

“It could be misdirection,” Perry told Al Jazeera. “If I was Trump, I might consider planning an attack and denying it to keep my enemies off balance and maintain the element of surprise.”

Perry noted, however, the US president appeared “genuinely torn” as distinct wings of the so-called MAGA movement within the Republican party – one interventionist, the other isolationist – compete to advance their agenda.

“Trump enjoys clearly having the world guessing what he’d do next and having all the attention focused on him,” he said.

“On the ground, I think the results are devastating and fundamentally it’s a very, very dangerous mistake because Israel clearly will not end its operation as long as this is in the offing,” Perry added.