Israel and Iran exchange fresh volley of attacks after Tehran rejects US talks

JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON, June 21  – Iran and Israel exchanged fresh attacks early on Saturday, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive.Shortly after 2:30 a.m.in Israel, the Israeli military warned of an incoming missile barrage from Iran, triggering air raid sirens across parts of central Israel, including Tel Aviv, as well as in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.Interceptions were visible in the sky over Tel Aviv, with explosions echoing across the metropolitan area as Israel’s air defense systems responded.At the same time, Israel launched a new wave of attacks against missile storage and launch infrastructure sites in Iran, the Israeli military said.Sirens also sounded in southern Israel, said Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service.

An Israeli military official said Iran had fired five ballistic missiles and that there were no immediate indications of any missile impacts.There were no initial reports of casualties.The emergency service released images showing a fire on the roof of a multi-story residential building in central Israel.Local media reported that the fire was caused by debris from an intercepted missile.Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.

Iran, which says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel.Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons.It neither confirms nor denies this.Its air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based human rights organization that tracks Iran.

The dead include the military’s top echelon and nuclear scientists.In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities.Reuters could not independently verify casualty figures for either side....