As G7 Leaders Meet in Canada, Israel and Iran Spiral Into Open War
With Israel striking Iran’s Quds Force and Tehran retaliating with missile barrages, the deadliest phase yet in their decades-long conflict unfolds—raising fears of escalation as G7 leaders meet
Israel said on Monday that it had struck the command center of Iran’s elite Quds Force, as the fiercest and deadliest confrontation in the history of the Israeli-Iranian conflict entered its fourth day. As civilian casualties climb on both sides, the war now seems likely to last for more than a week. Israel is intensifying its efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities and Iran continues to return fire with huge barrages of ballistic missiles, leaving civilians on both sides increasingly fearful and bracing for what is to come. The attack on the Quds facility in Tehran, and the extent of any casualties or damage, could not immediately be verified independently. It came as Iranian missiles struck several Israeli cities early on Monday, killing at least eight people, according to Israeli officials. The volleys were the latest since Israel began attacking Iran on Friday. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran, according to the country’s health ministry, and injured more than 1,400 people. In Israel, at least 24 people, identified as civilians, have been killed in retaliatory barrages by Iran, with roughly 600 injured. The attacks have been the longest and most intense in the decades-long enmity between Israel and Iran, raising fears of a wider war that could draw in the United States and other powers. Israel appears intent on fighting until Iran gives up its nuclear enrichment program, which could be used to create a nuclear bomb, but Iran has given no hint of doing so voluntarily. The Israeli military said it had struck more than 100 sites in Iran overnight, adding that it was mainly targeting missile launchers. Israeli civil authorities said that Iranian missiles hit at least three residential areas early on Monday — killing five people in central Israel, most of them in the city of Petah Tikva, and three in northern Israel - NYT
The IDF struck the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN), operated by IRIB, on Monday afternoon because the network was being used for military purposes by the Iranian Armed Forces, the military said. The building was allegedly used under the guise of civilian activity, covering up the military use of the center's infrastructure and assets. The strike directly harmed the military capabilities of the Iranian Armed Forces, according to the IDF. The military added that the "precise strike" was conducted based on intelligence, and prior to the strike, the IDF warned the surrounding civilian population, including through phone calls. - Jerusalem Post
Israel's Transportation Ministry will launch Operation 'Safe Return' to bring close to 150,000 Israelis stuck abroad back home, Transport Minister Miri Regev announced Monday. According to Regev, private airlines and the Israeli Mano Maritime shipping company will be mobilized to bring between 100,000 and 150,000 Israelis stranded across the globe home by air or by sea. Regev noted that the operation will be carried out in accordance with the Defense Ministry. She said the Transport Ministry had initially requested helicopters and aircraft, but was unable to receive them due to constraints within the Israeli Air Force - JP
The US Embassy in Jordan on Monday once again warned Americans there of potential “missiles, drones or rockets” in Jordanian airspace as Iran and Israel continue to volley attacks against each other.
It is the second day in a row that the embassy has issued such a warning. It also issued one on Friday - CNN
The leaders of the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Japan are joining Prime Minister Mark Carney in Kananaskis, Canada, for a meeting of the Group of Seven nations. The summit takes place over the next two days, with discussions focused largely on economic and security priorities. Before the summit officially begins, Carney has a tête-à-tête with U.S. President Donald Trump. The high-stakes bilateral meeting comes as Trump continues to impose punishing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and the auto sector. The summit is also expected to draw protests, primarily in Calgary and nearby Banff, where organizers have established designated demonstration zones.
With rising tensions between Israel and Iran, peace still elusive in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs prompting a global trade war, there is a lot to talk about and plenty to disagree on at the G7 Summit. UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer told journalists en route to Canada that there would be “intense discussions” at the summit on all three issues, while also talking up his “good relationship with President Trump.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for the Russia oil price cap to be cut from $60 to $45 to put serious pressure on revenues for Vladimir Putin’s war machine. British officials say the U.K. supports this effort. Fred Fleitz, a former Trump White House national security aide, said Trump feels “disrespected” by Vladimir Putin’s refusal to take peace negotiations seriously. “There’s a good chance within the next few weeks that Trump ends the diplomacy and hits Russia with sanctions. But Trump will keep the door open to resuming talks,” he said - Politico
Carney is not even going to try to get G7 leaders to sign a joint communiqué, according to CBC News. Instead, a senior Canadian official says they're opting for short, action-oriented statements. The move is an attempt to prevent a disaster like the last time Canada hosted in 2018. That G7 in Charlevoix, Que. — when Justin Trudeau was prime minister and U.S. President Donald Trump was in his first term — ended in disarray. Trump rescinded his support of the communiqué and lashed out at Trudeau, who, in a post-summit news conference, vowed to retaliate against U.S. tariffs at the time. (The outburst caught Canadian officials off-guard, as the prime minister had made similar remarks before.) Former Trudeau adviser Jason Easton worked on the U.S.-Canada file in later years. He said history has shown when Trump is at a G7, it's hard to reach a consensus on a statement. "We've seen how that can disrupt the G7, particularly at the end," Easton said. "What Prime Minister Carney is doing, what he's done from the start of his administration, is focus on actions, focus on deliverables. And I think he's taking a very businesslike approach to finding those areas where G7 leaders can agree we are going to jointly pursue action."
An Air India flight was forced to turn around and return to Hong Kong after an unspecified technical issue was discovered with the aircraft. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner—the same craft involved in last week’s devastating crash in Ahmedabad which killed 270 people—was an hour into a flight to New Delhi when the pilot suspected a problem and turned around. The exact nature of the technical issue is not currently known but the craft is currently undergoing a series of maintenance checks to determine the problem, Reuters reports. An Air India spokesperson told Sky News: “We are providing all necessary on-ground assistance to the passengers to minimise the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption.” All but one of the passengers and crew aboard the 787-8 Air India flight bound for London Gatwick were killed when the plane crashed into a residential area just moments after takeoff last Thursday. Preliminary investigations suggest an “extremely rare” double engine failure could have been responsible for the crash, one of the worst aviation accidents in decades - Daily Beast
A 37-year-old man has died after allegedly being tortured in a police station in Georgia, TV Pirveli reports. Alan Kakitashvili, an employee of the Tbilisi City Hall Cleaning Service, died in hospital on 8 June after falling into a coma shortly following his detention by police. Two witnesses testified to hearing ‘desperate cries’ from his cell before he was transferred to hospital. He was taken for questioning to a police station in Tbilisi, following a physical altercation at the Megobrebi restaurant in the city earlier that evening. The dinner had reportedly been organised for Tbilisi City Hall employees. During the incident, Kakitashvili is reported to have injured at least one person, Dimitri Sadoev, with a sharp or blunt weapon.
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