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Israel-Iran live: US prepares evacuation flights from Israel as Trump says he 'may or may not' strike Iran

Donald Trump says he "may do it, I may not do it" after being asked if the US would strike Iran. Iran's mission to the UN has branded him a "has-been warmonger clinging to relevance". Listen to the latest episode of The World as you scroll.

Why you can trust Sky News
Nuclear watchdog says Iran was not trying to build weapon

The nuclear watchdog does not believe Iran was trying to develop a nuclear weapon, its chief tells Sky News.

"We came to the conclusion we could not affirm there is any systematic effort in Iran at the moment to manufacture a nuclear weapon," says Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He tells lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim the IAEA's report, which has been widely cited by Israel, found Iran is enriching 60% uranium, the only country in the world doing that, so "there were elements for concern".

"But as to saying they are building and manufacturing a nuclear weapon - no, we didn't say that."

Asked if the IAEA was concerned about the impact of nuclear facilities being targeted by Israel, Grossi says: "Of course we are."

He warns there "is always the possibility of a radiological event" when a nuclear site is hit, such as the "dispersion of nuclear material in the atmosphere".

Missiles launched toward Israel

Missiles have been launched from Iran towards Israel, the Israeli military says.

UK focused on de-ecalation in Middle East, Downing Street says

The UK remains focused on de-escalation in the Middle East amid reports Donald Trump is considering joining Israeli military action against Iran, Downing Street has said.

Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer was confident the US president would not bring US forces into the conflict, a Number 10 spokesperson said: "You have the PM's words but the position remains that we want to de-escalate the situation, we want to de-escalate rather than escalate.

"We are clear that de-escalation is the right outcome for the Middle East, we are conscious, as the PM has said, that this has an impact on the lives of people in the United Kingdom.

"That is why the prime minister's been focused in recent days at the G7 on de-escalation and we will continue to be focused on de-escalation."

They added: "This is an extremely fast-moving situation and we are working with partners to reiterate the need to return to diplomacy."

COBRA meeting chaired by Starmer ends

Earlier we brought you news that Sir Keir Starmer was chairing a COBRA meeting on the situation in the Middle East (see 13.29 post).

Sky News now understands the meeting is over.

COBRA, which stands for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, is often called in times of emergency such as civil unrest or flooding.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "Ministers were updated on efforts to support British nationals in region and protect regional security, as well as ongoing diplomatic efforts."

The prime minister chaired the meeting after returning to London from the G7 summit in Canada.

Watch: Starmer tells Sky he is 'worried' about the escalation

US to evacuate citizens from Israel

The US is working to evacuate its citizens from Israel by arranging flights and cruise ship departures, the US ambassador to the country has said.

The US embassy in Jerusalem was working on the evacuation arrangements, Mike Huckabee said in a post on X.

He also urged Americans in the country to sign up for updates through the state department's Smart Traveler programme.

Israel kills at least 140 people in Gaza over past day, Hamas-run ministry says

While the world's focus has switched to Iran since Israel began its attacks, Palestinians are continuing to be killed in Gaza.

Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 140 people in the past 24 hours, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has said.

At least 40 of those were killed today, said the ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.

The deaths included people killed in the Maghazi refugee camp, the Zeitoun neighbourhood and Gaza City.

Medics told Reuters that 14 people were killed in Israeli fire at crowds waiting for aid trucks brought in by the United Nations along the Salahuddin Road in central Gaza.

Responding to the Salahuddin road incident, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said despite repeated warnings that the area was an active combat zone, individuals approached troops in a manner that posed a threat to forces.

Its troops fired warning shots, it said, adding it was unaware of injuries.

Commenting on the other strikes, it said it was "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities" while taking "feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm".

Earlier this week, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said 397 Palestinians among those trying to get food aid had been killed and more than 3,000 injured since aid deliveries started in late May.

Recap: Today's developments so far in seven bullet points

We've heard more from Donald Trump today, and Iran's supreme leader gave his first public remarks since Israel's first attack last Friday.

If you want a quick recap, here's a reminder of today's key developments so far:

  • Trump told reporters he "may or may not" strike Iran, adding "nobody knows what I'm going to do" and that Tehran has reached out to him;
  • The Iranians, however, denied that claim and insisted it won't "grovel at the gates of the White House" -  labelling Trump a "has-been warmonger";
  • And in brief remarks televised in Iran, the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel has made a "huge mistake" and his country will not surrender;
  • Any US intervention in the Middle East would be "a recipe for all-out war in the region", a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry said;
  • In the UK, Sky News understands the prime minister is chairing an emergency COBRA meeting this afternoon on the situation in the Middle East;
  • Meanwhile, attacks continue - though Iranian strikes appeared to be reduced overnight. A human rights group reportsed at least 585 people have now been killed in Iran, with 1,326 injured;
  • Israel, for its part, said earlier it struck 40 military targets today, though further blasts have reported since then.
Images show smoke rising in Tehran

The Iranian capital continues to be targeted by the Israeli military.

These are some of the latest pictures out of Tehran, showing smoke rising above buildings following a strike.

Iran denies reaching out to White House - and hits out at 'has-been warmonger'

Iran's mission to the UN has just responded to Donald Trump's claim that Tehran has reached out to Washington - see our 15.02 post.

"No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House," it said in a written statement.

"The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to 'take out' Iran's Supreme Leader.

"Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.

"Iran shall respond to any threat with a counter-threat, and to any action with reciprocal measures."

Analysis: The two reasons for Trump's ambiguity on Iran - and why his base is split

We just heard from Donald Trump, who said he may or may not authorise US strikes on Iran - see our 15.02 post.

Trump told reporters Iran has reached out to his administration, though he went on to say it's "late" to be talking.

He's keeping the ambiguity going, our US correspondent Mark Stone said, and there are two potential reasons for that.

"The first is he wants to keep everyone guessing," Stone says.

"It is useful to keep everyone guessing because that creates this sense of jeopardy.

"It means that the Iranians don't quite know where they stand, don't quite know what he's going to do. No one does."

But that ambiguity is also "inevitable", Stone said, because he believes the president "doesn't know what to do".

"So, it's useful to him to be able to say, you know, I might do this, I might do that," Stone added.

"But that's also because he doesn't know what he is going to do next. And he is in a real bind."

The forever wars

That's because Trump ran his campaign as a man who will stop the wars.

"And yet now he finds himself on the precipice of being forced by Israel, effectively, to join a new war," Stone said.

But, domestically, he is being pulled in different directions, with highly influential figures in the MAGA movement speaking out against intervention, such as Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

He's also got more traditionalist Republicans, such as Ted Cruz, saying the US must take this opportunity and take Iran out now.

"This is a huge, huge domestic challenge for Donald Trump, and it doesn't just threaten to split his base, it is splitting his base," Stone said.

"It's useful to be unclear about what he might do, but it is also because he has no idea himself, I don't think, what to do next."