Israel, Iran show no signs of backing down as conflict enters its second week
CBC
Israel and Iran's air war entered a second week on Friday and European officials sought to draw Tehran back to the negotiating table after U.S. President Donald Trump said any decision on potential U.S. involvement would be made within two weeks.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that he had instructed the military to intensify attacks on "symbols of the regime" in the Iranian capital Tehran, aiming to destabilize it.
"We must strike at all the symbols of the regime and the mechanisms of oppression of the population, such as the Basij [militia], and the regime's power base, such as the Revolutionary Guard," Katz said in a statement.
Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying it aimed to prevent its longtime enemy from developing nuclear weapons. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. It says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Israeli air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, the Human Rights Activists News Agency said. Those killed include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists.
Israel has said at least two dozen Israeli civilians have died in Iranian missile attacks. Reuters could not independently verify the death toll from either side.
Israel has targeted nuclear sites and missile capabilities and sought to shatter the government of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Western and regional officials.
"Are we targeting the downfall of the regime? That may be a result, but it's up to the Iranian people to rise for their freedom," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.
Iran has said it is targeting military and defence-related sites in Israel, although it has also hit a hospital and other civilian sites.
An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed in a strike on a building in Tehran on Friday, state Israeli broadcaster Kan and other local media reported. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reports.
Iran's emergency services said on Friday that five hospitals had been damaged in Israeli strikes.
Israel accused Iran on Thursday of deliberately targeting civilians through the use of cluster munitions, which disperse small bombs over a wide area. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
With neither country backing down, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany along with the European Union foreign policy chief were due to meet in Geneva with Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi to try to de-escalate the conflict on Friday.
Separate talks between Iran and the U.S. collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion on June 12.

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