Israel-Iran conflict escalates: Use of US bunker-buster bomb looms

Tensions peak in Mideast as Trump’s remarks spark speculation of imminent US involvement

A B-2 Stealth Bomber flies over the Washington Monument at the National Mall, during the Independence Day celebrations in Washington DC on July 4, 2020. A powerful bunker-buster bomb, the only one capable of destroying Iran's deeply buried nuclear facilities, is Trump's strategic weapon of choice should he decide to engage the US in conflict alongside Israel.

AFP

Tensions are peaking in the Middle East as US President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and warned its supreme leader could be assassinated “easily.” His comments come as Israel and Iran exchange heavy fire for a sixth straight day, with Israeli strikes hitting western Iran and retaliatory explosions rocking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Trump's latest remarks fuel speculation Washington may soon join the fight — despite earlier claims of restraint and reported efforts to rein in Israel’s assassination plans. Follow all the latest updates here:

Iran arrests
five for 'tarnishing' the country's image

Iran said Wednesday it had detained five suspected agents of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency on charges of tarnishing the country's image online, Iranian news agencies reported.

"These mercenaries sought to sow fear among the public and tarnish the image of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran through their calculated activities online," the Tasnim and ISNA news agencies quoted a statement from the Revolutionary Guards as saying. They added that the arrests had been made in western Iran.