Live: Iran holds funeral for top military, nuclear figures killed in Israeli strikes

French President Emmanuel Macron defended "Israel's right to protect itself," even welcoming the "effects" of Israeli strikes against Iran's nuclear capabilities, AFP reported on Friday.

"Iran has continued to enrich, and is close to a critical stage" that allows "the production of nuclear devices," the French president declared during a press conference convened at the Elysée Palace after the bombings carried out overnight, and again in the afternoon, by Israel against Iranian nuclear and military installations.

This "move towards nuclear weapons by Iran threatens the region, Europe, and collective stability more generally," he said. 

"We do not share this approach and the need for a military operation. However, when we look at the results of these strikes, they have made it possible to reduce uranium enrichment capacities, "they have made it possible to reduce ballistic capacities, and they therefore have effects that are in the desired direction," he argued.

During his press conference, the French president also announced the postponement of the international UN conference scheduled for next week in New York, to relaunch a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, which he was due to co-chair with Saudi Arabia.

Macron considered recognising a Palestinian state as early as April, although he has since stalled on this move

He said the postponement was due to "logistical and security reasons" which prevent several Arab leaders and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from traveling to New York, due to Israel's attacks that have led to the closure of airspace in several Middle Eastern countries. 

Israel's United Nations envoy Danny Danon says strikes on Iran were "an act of national preservation", which it undertook alone, Reuters reported on Friday.

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. Iran said it would retaliate and has launched ballistic missiles at Israel. 

The US quietly delivered hundreds of Hellfire missiles to Israel before its unprecedented attack on Iran on Friday, Middle East Eye can reveal. 

The US sent around 300 Hellfire missiles to Israel on Tuesday in a large-scale stock-up of supplies before its attack, and as the Trump administration was saying it was ready to continue engaging Iran in nuclear talks. 

The transfer of such a large quantity of Hellfires suggests that the Trump administration was well-informed of Israel’s plans to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran, two US officials told MEE on the condition of anonymity. 

The US’s delivery of Hellfires or other large quantities of weapons in the lead up to Friday’s attack has not been previously reported. 

The US military helped shoot down Iranian missiles that were headed towards Israel, two US officials told Reuters on Friday.

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At least 300 people have been evacuated from their homes in Tel Aviv after their homes were damaged according to Israel's Channel 12, Al Jazeera Arabic reported on Friday.

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. Iran said it would retaliate and has launched ballistic missiles at Israel. 

Iran's United Nations envoy says the US is complicit in Israel’s military strikes on Iran, Reuters reported on Friday.

“By aiding and enabling these crimes, they share full responsibility for the consequences,” Amir-Saeid Iravani said.

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. Iran retaliated and launched ballistic missiles at Israel later on the same day. 

 The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told the Security Council on Friday that the above-ground enrichment plant at Iran's Natanz nuclear site has been destroyed, Reuters reported on Friday.

"At present, the Iranian authorities are informing us of attacks on two other facilities, namely the Fordow fuel enrichment plant and at Isfahan," Grossi told the 15-member council.

"At this moment, we do not have enough information beyond indicating that military activity has been taken place around these facilities as well."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday in a video to Iranians that Israel would press on with its campaign after launching waves of strikes at military and nuclear sites.

"In the past 24 hours, we have taken out top military commanders, senior nuclear scientists, the Islamic regime's most significant enrichment facility and a large portion of its ballistic missile arsenal," Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding: "More is on the way. The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker."

Netanyahu told people in Iran that they both had a common enemy and urged people in Iran to stand up "for their freedom against an evil and oppressive regime".

The Israeli fire service says it is responding to 'major' incidents from Iranian missile attacks.

Iran is retaliating after Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning.

After Israel pummelled Iran in an unprecedented attack and the Islamic Republic launched a barrage of missiles targeting Tel Aviv, US President Donald Trump has portrayed himself as above the fray. 

“I gave them 60 days and they didn’t meet it,” Trump told The New York Post on Friday. “Today’s 61, you know. Today’s day 61.”

Trump was referencing Israeli media reports from March 2025 that said he had sent Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a letter laying out a two-month window to agree to a new nuclear deal, or face an attack. 

The US and Iran held their first round of nuclear talks on 12 April. 

For two months, Trump used the threat of Israeli strikes as a form of leverage against Iran, as his administration tried to impose an agreement on it that would strip it of all ability to enrich uranium. 

On Friday, Trump answered the question that had been gnawing at diplomats, analysts and even intelligence officials: whether the president of the United States would give the green light to an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear programme. 

“Israel struck for many reasons - fear Iran's program might soon enter a zone of immunity; [a] risk ready Israeli prime minister for whom striking Iran was a lifelong mission. But the key was Trump's willingness to green light the attacks - or at least not to say no,” Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East negotiator, wrote on X. 

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The US  military has supported Israel by shooting down Iranian missiles that were heading towards Israel on Friday, according to an Axios report. 

The officials providing the information were not named. Details did not include whether fighter jets or warships carried out the operation.

Al Jazeera Arabic published footage of a fire breaking out in a residential building in Tel Aviv after Israeli defences failed to intercept a missile launched from Iran. 

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. Iran has vowed to retaliate and has launched ballistic missiles at Israel. 

Israel says that seven people were injured on Friday in the centre of the country, shortly after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel, AFP reported. 

The spokesman for the Magen David Adom rescue service, Eli Bin, told Channel 12 that seven people were lightly injured in central Israel. Images on Channel 12 showed what appeared to be a building hit by a missile. 

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. Iran has vowed to retaliate and has launched ballistic missiles at Israel. 

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps say it carried out attacks against dozens of targets in Israel. 

An Iranian senior official told Reuters on Friday, "Our revenge has just started. They will pay a high price for killing our commanders, scientists and people. 

"Nowhere in Israel will be safe. Our revenge will be painful."

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. Iran said it would retaliate and has launched ballistic missiles at Israel. 

In a televised address to the nation, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Israel's attacks on his country will "bring it to ruin".

He said that Israel had initiated a war and said Israel won’t be allowed to do a "hit and run" attack.

Israel launched unprovoked military air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning. 

Hundreds of ballistic missiles have been launched against Israel by Iran, Reuters reported on Friday.

The missiles are being launched in retaliation for Israeli military strikes on Iran's nuclear facility in the early hours of Friday morning, which also resulted in civilian casualties.