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Iran and Israel continued to exchange missile and airstrikes as the conflict entered it second week on Friday. Over the past seven days, the IDF targeted members of Iran’s political and military leadership as well as its nuclear scientists. The IDF also targeted Iran’s military, nuclear, and energy infrastructure. A weakened Iran responded with volleys of ballistic missiles meant to overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. As of Friday more than 600 Iranians had been killed in Israeli strikes with at least 263 of those being civilians according to Human Rights Activists. Israel reported that at least 24 Israelis had been killed in Iran’s missile strikes with dozens more wounded. Over the past week world leaders have urged both parties to end the attacks and bring the conflict to a close. US President Donald Trump has vacillated between urging diplomacy and warning Iran that the US may get involved in the conflict. President Trump has at times called for Iran’s “unilateral surrender” and urged it to give up its nuclear program. On Thursday, President Trump said that he will make a decision on Iran “within two weeks.” Several analysts and media members reported that Israel will likely need US support to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Fordo. The Israeli military does not possess the bombs (GBU-57) large enough to penetrate the Fordo facility or the aircraft (B-2 Stealth) to deliver them according to reporting. In spite of this reporting, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will destroy Iran’s nuclear program with or without the US. Russia and China both issued warnings to the US to not to get involved in the conflict. Several European and Iranian diplomats met in Switzerland on Friday in an attempt to bring the conflict to a close through diplomatic means. The goal of the talks being to convince Iran to make enough compromises to its nuclear program to convince Israel to end its military campaign. While not involved in the talks, Israel’s Foreign Minister expressed skepticism of a diplomatic break through saying “I don’t trust their [Iran’s] intentions . . . I don’t trust their honesty.” While Israeli politicians have claimed recently that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, the US intelligence community’s assessment disagreed. Some analysts have speculated that Israel’s campaign in Iran is one of regime change under the pretext of destroying Iran’s nuclear program. PM Netanyahu mentioned the prospect of regime change during several media appearances and has urged Iranians to rise up against the regime since the conflict began. Iranian officials have remained defiant over the past week. On Friday, Ayatollah Khamenei posted on X, “The Zionist enemy is being punished. It is being punished right now.” He urged Iranians to continue their course while insisting that Israel’s appeals to the US are a sign of weakness. Other Iranian officials have justified their actions insisting that Iran has a right to defend itself.
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