Israel has warned residents of some parts of Tehran to evacuate in a sign of imminent air attacks after earlier threatening the capital will "pay the price" for Iranian missile strikes hit Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing eight people.
Israel's military posted the warning on June 16 specifically naming Tehran's District 3 saying it "will take action to attack the Iranian regime's military infrastructure." The district, which has some 300,000 residents, is home to Iran's state broadcaster, an intelligence division headquarters, and some high-ranking leaders.
Tehran's streets have been packed with traffic heading out of the capital as residents flee after several days of air attacks that have targeted nuclear and military facilities, as well as residential buildings that Israel said house senior officials and nuclear scientists.
Some residents reported long lines at gas stations and limits on the amount of fuel customers could receive, while in the north, where many are headed, food shortages were starting to appear.
The warning were issued as the prospects of an escalation in the conflict between the two countries hang over a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada.
Earlier in the day, Israel's national emergency services said that 23 people have now died in Iranian attacks on Israel since June 13, when Israel launched air strikes at nuclear and military targets across Iran over the country's nuclear program. Iranian authorities say Israeli attacks have killed at least 224 people over the same time period.
Rescue workers continued to sift through rubble and debris in the northern coastal city of Haifa after Iran launched attacks in the early hours of June 16 that injured more than 100 Israelis, while in Tel Aviv, missiles hit several residential buildings, some of which were close to a US consulate.
"The residents of Tehran will pay the price, and soon," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, accusing Iran of purposely targeting residential buildings.
Detailed Satellite Images Show Impact Of Israeli Strikes On Iranian Facilities
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei called on the United Nations on June 16 to "recognize and condemn Israel's aggression" while accusing the United States of complicity in the attacks.
President Donald Trump said on June 15 that the United States is not involved in the conflict, but as the archenemies continue to launch air strikes at each other, he admitted it's "possible" that will change.
Speaking to reporters before departing for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, Trump said the US would continue to support Israel, but stopped short of detailing further actions.
Earlier on June 15, in an interview with ABC News, Trump was asked whether the United States would become more engaged in the conflict that began three days earlier.
He responded: "We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved."
He added that he still hopes for a deal to end the fighting.
"I think it's time for a deal and we’ll see what happens. Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re gonna see what happens," he said.
Amid fears the conflict could broaden across the Middle East, Yemen's Houthis said on June 15 that they fired missiles at Israel in coordination with Iran.
It was the first time an Iran-aligned group has publicly announced joint cooperation on attacks with Tehran.
Nuclear Talks Canceled
The outbreak of air strikes forced the cancellation of a new round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, planned for June 15 in Oman.
Iran had described the talks as "meaningless" after the Israeli air strikes, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state media that continuing the negotiations would be unjustifiable.
Baghaei echoed that statement on June 16, while adding that even though Iran's nuclear program is for civilian purposes only -- a claim Tehran has made for years -- the Israeli attacks are "a fatal blow to the nuclear nonproliferation system and international law," and that is why Europe's silence on the matter is "a blow to the nuclear nonproliferation system.
Iranian lawmakers have said they will introduce a motion in the coming days to withdraw from the Treaty On The Non-Proliferation Of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
In the initial waves of attacks, Israel had appeared to avoid striking Iran's energy infrastructure amid rising world fuel prices, but Iran's Oil Ministry said early on June 15 that Israeli strikes had hit two fuel depots in Tehran.
Earlier, Iranian state media said fire broke out at the South Pars gas field in the southern Bushehr Province during an Israeli attack.
