Israeli military to shift focus back to Gaza after Iran war

A preliminary US intelligence assessment has determined that US strikes over the weekend on Iranian nuclear facilities have set back Tehran's program by only a matter of months, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The initial report was prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon's main intelligence arm and one of 18 US intelligence agencies, said two of the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss classified matters.

The assessment found that Iran could restart its nuclear program in a matter of months, according to the three sources, one of whom said it estimated the earliest restart could be in one to two months.

The classified assessment is at odds with the statements of President Donald Trump and high-ranking US officials who say the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities  essentially eliminated Iran's nuclear program.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron called on Iran to "come to the negotiating table."

The three leaders spoke on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague on Tuesday evening, according to a statement by Starmer's office.

"The leaders reflected on the volatile situation in the Middle East. Now was the time for diplomacy and for Iran to come to the negotiating table, they agreed," the statement read.

The three countries make up the so-called E3, an informal arrangement focused on foreign policy and security, especially with regards to Iran's nuclear program.

After Israel attacked Iran on June13, prompting the war between the two countries, Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi met with the E3 in Geneva a week later on Friday, but the negotiations bore no fruit.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel won "a historic victory" over Iran.

"Iran will never have a nuclear weapon," he told viewers in the nearly 10-minute speech.

He said Israel destroyed nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, along with the Arak heavy water reactor.

"We have thwarted Iran's nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he added.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, said Israel's military has set "Iran's nuclear project back by years."

He said the military was at "the conclusion of a significant chapter but the campaign against Iran is not over."

Zamir said Israel will shift back its military focus to its fight against Palestinian militants in Gaza to bring back Israel's hostages and to "dismantle Hamas's rule." 

It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel decided to refrain from continued strikes on Iran after speaking to US President Donald Trump, who declared that Iran and Israel had reached a ceasefire.

Also on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would only hit Israel if it violates the ceasefire deal.

More than 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since late May, the UN Human Rights Office said.

The American contractor appointed by Israel to replace UN and international humanitarian aid agencies in distributing food in Gaza after the Israeli blockade on humanitarian assistance lasted almost three months.

But its distribution sites have been plagued by scenes of deadly violence and chaos since opening last month.

The UN Human Rights Office described it as the "weaponization" of food aid and said it constitutes a war crime.

"Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,"  UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said.

According to the DPA news agency, Al-Kheetan said Israeli troops caused the deaths, and the UN confirmed nearly all the cases. He added that although armed groups were nearby, the casualties were from Israeli actions.

According to him, at least 93 other people have also been reportedly killed by the Israeli military while attempting to approach the very few aid convoys of the UN and other humanitarian organizations still allowed to operate in Gaza. 

According to figures issued by the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the death toll is even higher, with 516 people seeking rations having been killed and nearly 3,800 wounded.

Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the militants deny.

DW spoke with several members of the Iranian diaspora community in Germany, who said they are watching war with Israel unfold with a mix of fear, helplessness and guilt.

Click here to read more.

After massive US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, false claims and fake videos are spreading fast online.

Take a look at DW Fact Check's investigation into a couple of viral AI cases here.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country would not violate the ceasefire deal unless Israel does.

"If the Zionist regime does not violate the ceasefire, Iran will not violate it either," Pezeshkian said.

According to Iran's state-run Nournews, Pezeshkian said Tehran is open to dialogue and will defend the rights of the Iranian people at the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad said he received a call from  Pezeshkian, during which he expressed regret that Iran's target in retaliating for earlier US airstrikes was a military base in Qatar.

Qatar said it has always maintained good relations with Iran and did not expect this action.

The UN human rights office says the Israeli army has killed over 400 people trying to reach food distribution points. The small amount of aid reaching the territory is being provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel and the US. 

US President Donald Trump said he is not interested in seeing a "regime change" in Iran after the war with Israel.

"If there was, there was, but no I don't want it," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One.

According to Trump, regime change would mean "chaos."

"Ideally we don't want to see much chaos," the US president stressed.

The comments seemingly contradict an earlier post by Trump on his Truth Social platform in which he insinuated the White House could pursue regime change in Iran.

"It’s not politically correct to use the term, “Regime Change,” but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!," Trump said on Sunday.

Israel decided to refrain from carrying out further strikes in Iran after a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

According to Netanyahu's office, Iran launched three missiles after the ceasefire had started at 07:00 local time (0400 UTC), after which  Israel struck a radar in Iran.

President Trump "voiced his confidence" in the ceasefire holding, the statement said.

The statement comes after Trump accused Iran and Israel of ceasefire violations in a social media post.

US President Donald Trump has spoken about what he said were ceasefire violations of both Israel and Iran, mostly calling for Israel to show restraint.

"Israel has to calm down," he said before boarding the Marine One helicopter, adding he'll see if he can stop the Israeli response to the Iranian missile that had been launched toward Israel's north this morning.

Trump concluded that Israel and Iran "have been fighting so long and so hard" that they no longer know what they're doing.

He urged Israel to "not drop those bombs" on Iran.

US President Donald Trump has said both Iran and Israel have violated the ceasefire between them.

Writing on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump said he was unhappy with both Iran and Israel, "but especially with Israel," while also adding that Iran's nuclear capabilities are "gone."

While Israeli officials have said the country is set to respond to the alleged Iranian missile launches on Tuesday morning, Trump called for Israel to show restraint.

"Israel, do not drop those bombs," Trump wrote, adding it would amount to a "major violation" of the ceasefire agreement.

"Bring your pilots home, now!"

Israeli forces have killed 21 people waiting for aid in Gaza, the enclave's Hamas-run civil defense agency said, with around 150 people injured.

The Israeli military later said that a gathering had been identified in an area close to its troops in the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, where the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) was handing out aid.

UN agencies and aid groups have refused to cooperate with GHF, over concerns that it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.

Russia has welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

"This can only be welcomed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, adding that Moscow hopes the ceasefire will be "sustainable."