A Vantor satellite image on Nov. 14, 2025, shows tunnel construction activity and associated spoil piles at Pickaxe Mountain near the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran. Satellite image (c) 2026 Vantor/Getty Images hide caption
Listen to NPR’s State of the World podcast, a human perspective on global stories in just a few minutes, every weekday. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog chief says he does not believe the war in Iran can entirely eliminate the nation’s nuclear program, even if the main facilities are heavily damaged. Iran confirmed the death of its intelligence minister, the third senior Iranian official killed by Israel in about 24 hours.
Israel’s killing of another top security official the night before prompted Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to issue a rare statement Wednesday, vowing to avenge his death. Already, in retaliation for officials’ deaths, Iran launched missile attacks at Israel overnight, killing two people near Tel Aviv. Israel also struck Lebanon’s capital of Beirut overnight, killing 10 people. Health authorities have reported about 1,300 killed in Iran, 968 in Lebanon and 16 in Israel since the war began on Feb. 28. U.S. Central Command has said 13 U.S. service members have been killed and eight…
