IRGC says media officer killed in Israeli strike

Israel carried out a wide-scale military campaign inside Iran over a 12-day conflict, striking more than 1,480 targets and launching around 1,500 air sorties that dropped 3,500 munitions, Israeli media and defense sources reported.

The campaign, focused largely on western Iran and Tehran, also included long-range strikes as far as Mashhad airport, approximately 2,300 km from Israel.

According to data from the Israeli military and national rescue services (MDA), 29 Israelis were killed during the conflict – 28 by Iranian missile fire and one woman reportedly suffering cardiac arrest during air raid sirens.

The Israeli Air Force conducted 600 mid-air refueling operations during the offensive, which also targeted 80 Iranian air defense systems and 250 missile launch platforms.

Eight nuclear sites across Iran were bombed, with severe damage reported at two key facilities. Initial waves of airstrikes targeted Natanz and Isfahan, while subsequent attacks hit Arak, Parchin, Karaj, Bonab, and Tehran.

According to analysis by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), the strikes significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and eliminated much of the country’s strategic launch capability.

Iran fired approximately 600 missiles at Israeli territory in retaliation. Fatalities were recorded in multiple cities, including Rishon LeZion, Haifa, Petah Tikva, Kiryat Ata, and Beersheba. More than 30,000 buildings across Israel were damaged during the hostilities.

Military strikes on Iran likely failed to eliminate the country’s nuclear expertise or uranium stockpiles, former British intelligence chief Sir John Sawers said on Wednesday, warning that without renewed diplomacy, further military escalation may be inevitable.

“You can't destroy the know-how, we almost certainly haven't destroyed the partially enriched uranium,” the former MI6 head told Bloomberg in an interview.

Sawers called on the Trump administration and European governments to re-engage politically with Tehran to avoid a cycle of repeated military confrontations.

“Engaging with Iran to reach a political agreement is important if they want to prevent the need for strikes over and over again,” he said.

Iran has restored internet, mobile, and landline services to pre-conflict levels following disruptions imposed during its recent war with Israel, Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi said on Wednesday.

The blackout, which affected millions across the country, was described by Hashemi as a “forced situation” driven by national security concerns. Iranian officials had accused Israel of exploiting digital networks for military operations during the 12-day conflict.

“I apologize to the people for the disruption,” Hashemi said in a televised statement, acknowledging the difficulties caused by the communication restrictions.

Some Iranian users regained access to previously banned platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp without VPNs or IP-masking tools on Wednesday, according to the reformist Shargh newspaper. The paper cited changes in internet protocol settings as part of the ongoing restoration process.

Sources told Shargh the apparent unblocking is temporary and technical in nature, not a shift in policy on foreign platforms.