Nuclear Site Bombed, Hospital Under Fire: Iran-Israel War Escalates Sharply – Top Updates

As the war between Israel and Iran entered its seventh day, the conflict took a dangerous turn on Thursday, with missiles striking civilian and nuclear infrastructure, world leaders weighing in, and the death toll continuing to rise. Here are the top 10 key developments:

Iranian state television reported that Israel launched a strike on the Arak heavy water reactor — a key nuclear facility southwest of Tehran. The site had already been evacuated, and officials stated there was "no radiation danger whatsoever." The strike followed an Israeli warning urging civilians to evacuate the area.

A missile fired by Iran struck the main Soroka Hospital in southern Israel early Thursday, causing "extensive damage" and injuring several people, the hospital confirmed. Visuals showed shattered windows and plumes of black smoke. Another missile damaged residential buildings near Tel Aviv, with Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service reporting at least 40 people injured.

Reacting to the hospital strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran would "pay a heavy price." He wrote on X: "This morning, Iran's terrorist dictators fired missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva and at civilians in the centre of the country. We will make the tyrants in Tehran pay a heavy price."

US President Donald Trump said he is still undecided on whether America would join the conflict militarily. "I may do it, I may not do it," Trump told reporters, adding that Iran had approached the US for potential talks. "Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate," he said, noting they had proposed talks at the White House.

The Israeli military said it was carrying out a "series of strikes" across Tehran and other parts of Iran. The Israeli Air Force also confirmed "a wave of attacks in Tehran and other areas" in response to earlier Iranian drone launches.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised address, "This nation will never surrender." Warning the US against intervention, he added: "America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage."

Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified on Thursday that Iran had not requested Russian military assistance. "Our Iranian friends have not asked us about this," he told AFP.