Tel Aviv/Tehran, 18 June 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Rockets and words continued to go back and forth between Israel and Iran in the early hours of Wednesday as many in the Middle East - and elsewhere - are bracing for whether the United States will enter the conflict.

Iran launched two salvos of rockets at its arch-enemy Israel within less than an hour, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite force of the Islamic Republic.

The attacks targeted Israeli Air Force bases used to launch strikes against Iran, the state news agency IRNA reported.

Just after midnight, Israel said it had once again identified incoming missiles from Iran heading towards it.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on Telegram that the air force is operating "to eliminate the threat."  Sirens were activated and the IDF requested that the public follow Home Front instructions.

The report followed comments from the chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces who urged people to leave the major Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Israel then attacks Iran

After the IDF reported incoming fire from Iran, it announced that it had carried out further airstrikes on targets in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Prior to the attacks, the Israeli military had urged residents of District 18 in the south-west of the sprawling metropolis to seek safety. The air force announced it would target military facilities in that area.

There were initially no reports of casualties from the latest attacks on either side. Since Friday, more than 200 people have been killed in attacks in Iran, while 24 people have died in Israel.

War of words

Amid the military tensions, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday issued another threat against Israel.

"We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy," he wrote in English on X.

That was preceded by comments from US President Donald Trump, who said on Tuesday that the US has the capability to kill the supreme leader, who, as Iran's head of state, holds ultimate authority in all strategic matters under the Iranian constitution.

"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," Trump added.

Earlier, he had advised residents in Tehran to leave the city, which turned some neighbourhoods in the city of millions into virtual ghost towns.

All eyes on Washington

The action - both military and verbal - comes as many are waiting to see if Trump will join the conflict. The US press is full of reports of America's singular capability to reach Iran's nuclear facilities deep underground via US-made bunker-busting bombs, which the Israelis do not possess.

Many commentators also noted that Trump had called on Tuesday for Iran's "unconditional surrender" and pointed to his generally tough stance, wondering if it would translate into action.

Photo: epa