Israel and Iran trade strikes for a third day as hundreds reported dead

A US official told The Associated Press that US President Donald Trump in recent days vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles over Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, June 15, 2025. Picture: AP Photo/Leo Correa

Sun, 15 Jun, 2025 - 22:34

Jon Gambrell, Melanie Lidman and Julia Frankel, Associated Press

Israel claimed to operate almost freely in the skies over Iran during a third day of airstrikes on Sunday and killed more high-ranking security figures, while some Iranian missiles slipped through Israel’s air defences. Both sides threatened to launch more attacks.

In an indication of how far Israel was prepared to go amid fears of all-out war, a US official told The Associated Press that US President Donald Trump in recent days vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.