The conflict between Israel and Iran reached new and deadly heights on Sunday, June 15, 2025, as both nations continued to exchange missile attacks for a third consecutive day, with a significant increase in reported casualties on both sides.

Iran’s health ministry announced that at least 224 people have been killed since Israel’s attacks began on Friday, with an additional 1,277 hospitalized. The ministry’s spokesman, Hossein Kermanpour, asserted on social media that over 90% of the casualties in Iran were civilians. Separately, reports indicate that the Tehran police headquarters and a foreign ministry building were among the targets hit by Israeli strikes in Iran.

In Israel, the Magen David Adom rescue service reported that at least 10 people were killed in Iranian strikes overnight and into Sunday, bringing the country’s total death toll to 14. Israel’s main international airport and its airspace remained closed for a third day due to the ongoing hostilities.

Israel’s strikes targeted Iran’s Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran’s nuclear program, while Iranian missiles reportedly evaded Israeli air defenses to strike deep inside Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Iran would “pay a heavy price” for civilian deaths.

The region is bracing for a prolonged conflict. Following Israel’s strikes on nuclear and military facilities, which reportedly killed several senior generals and top nuclear scientists, the international community has heightened its diplomatic efforts.

US President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. had “nothing to do with the attack on Iran” and issued a stark warning to Tehran, cautioning them to expect “the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces” if it retaliates against American assets. Reports also surfaced that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, citing a desire to prevent an even more expansive conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with President Trump for the second time in two days, emphasizing the urgent need to prevent a regional “disaster” and offering to facilitate diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis and find a lasting solution.

Meanwhile, the European Union’s top diplomat will convene an emergency meeting of the 27-nation bloc’s foreign ministers via video link on Tuesday to discuss the escalating conflict, coordinate diplomatic outreach, and explore possible next steps to reduce tensions and address the Iranian nuclear issue. US Senator Rand Paul praised Trump’s show of restraint, while others cautioned that a negotiated settlement would be difficult given the current hostilities.