Summary

  • US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities did not destroy the Iranian nuclear programme and have probably only set it back by months, according to an intelligence evaluation

  • Details of the initial damage assessment from the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency were leaked to the BBC's US partner CBS and other media

  • The White House says the assessment is "flat-out wrong" and is "a clear attempt to demean" President Trump

  • Meanwhile, a ceasefire appears to have taken hold between Israel and Iran, with both nations acknowledging it is in place

  • Israel's PM hails a "historic victory" for his country in an address to his nation, while Iran's president says his people had determined the end of the "12-day-war"

Media caption,

Watch: Trump uses expletive in warning to Iran and Israel

LIVE stream page 1

  1. We are moving our coveragepublished at 01:19 British Summer Time 25 June
    published at 00:19 25 June

    For technical reasons, we are transferring our live coverage to a new page here:

    White House rejects intelligence assessment

    Hope you can join us as we monitor the ceasefire through the night in Iran and Israel.

  2. Trump takes victory lap but pitfalls remainpublished at 00:57 British Summer Time 25 June
    published at 23:57 24 June

    Anthony Zurcher
    North America correspondent

    Aboard Air Force One en route to the Nato summit in the Netherlands, Trump shared a personal text message from a somewhat unlikely source.

    It was sent by Nato boss Mark Rutte, who praised the American president for what he had accomplished in using US bombers to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

    "Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, " wrote Rutte in a message the president posted to his Truth Social account.

    The warm words, and the president's eagerness to share them to the world, illustrated just how much the diplomatic equation in the Middle East and among US allies has changed for Trump.

    Last week he left the G7 summit in Canada a day early, as conflict raged between Israel and Iran and it appeared increasingly likely the US would join the fight. America's allies were anxious.

    Now, it appears Trump is heading to Europe with the intention of basking in their praise. But the outlook, however, is more complicated than that.

    Read more here.

  3. How a volatile 24 hours edged Iran and Israel to a ceasefirepublished at 00:41 British Summer Time 25 June
    published at 23:41 24 June

    Media caption,

    Air defences seen over Qatar as Iran attacks US base on Monday

    Over the course of a dizzying 24 hours beginning on Monday, events in the Middle East have moved quickly.

    A US airbase came under attack, the White House helped broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and the deal came close to unravelling.

    Read our in-depth look at how those 24 hours unfolded here.

  4. Trump thanks Jeb Bushpublished at 00:36 British Summer Time 25 June
    published at 23:36 24 June

    Jeb Bush in New Delhi, India, on 13 October 2007Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Jeb Bush was once the heir apparent of a political dynasty until Trump came along

    Politics makes strange bedfellows.

    President Donald Trump has expressed his gratitude to former arch-rival Jeb Bush, after he commended him on the US strikes against Iran.

    "Thank you to Jeb Bush - Very much appreciated," Trump wrote on social media.

    Former Florida Governor Bush, in his own social media post on Sunday, said the raid on Iranian nuclear facilities "reasserts American strength, restores deterrence, and sends an unmistakable message to rogue regimes: the era of impunity is over".

    Trump and Bush were bitter adversaries in the 2015-16 race for the Republican White House nomination. Trump prevailed after mocking his rival as "low energy" and railing against his brother President George W Bush's war in Iraq.

  5. Americans' support for US strikes on Iran split along partisan linespublished at 23:43 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 22:43 24 June

    A poll by the BBC's US partner CBS News reveals that most Americans disapproved of the US strikes on Iran, a large proportion of whom said the president needed Congress' approval for the military action.

    The opinion survey splits along bipartisan lines, with most Republicans supporting the raid.

    A chart showing 56% of respondents disapprove of US strikes on IranImage source, CBS News
    A chart showing 87% of Democrats and 64% of independents opposing the US strikes, while 85% of Republicans approveImage source, CBS News

    Democrats and independents shared concerns about the US getting involved in a wider war, although this was a smaller concern among Republicans.

    A chart showing 44% of Americans are concerned about the US being involved in a wider war with IranImage source, CBS News
    A chart showing 94% of Democrats are concerned the strikes could lead to wider war, but only 62% of Republicans saying they are concernedImage source, CBS

    Trump's party showed overwhelming confidence in his administration's handling of the situation, but the rest of the country did not.

    The CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with 1,720 US adults interviewed between 22-24 June.

    A chart showing 86% of Democrats have no confidence in Trump's handling of Iran, while 89% of Republicans approveImage source, CBS News
  6. 'Alleged assessment wrong and leaked by low-level loser' - White Housepublished at 22:48 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 21:48 24 June

    A file photo of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She is standing at a microphone with a US flag behind herImage source, EPA

    As we mentioned earlier, US media are reporting that an initial assessment produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency says US strikes on Iran only set back its nuclear programme by a few months.

    In a post on social media, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, says: "This alleged 'assessment' is flat-out wrong and was classified as 'top secret' but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community.

    "The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program.

    "Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration."

    The BBC's US partner, CBS News, reports that a source familiar with the assessment has confirmed to them that a preliminary assessment indicates the strikes set back the programme by months, and did not obliterate the facilities.

    The source says the assessment indicates strikes on the Fordo facility caved in the entrances but that the enrichment infrastructure buried further underground remains largely intact.

    They also appear to contradict Leavitt's claim about the quality of the assessment, saying such preliminary assessments tend to hold up.

  7. The White House to hold a classified briefing with Congress on Fridaypublished at 22:29 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 21:29 24 June

    Brandon Drenon
    Reporting from Washington DC

    The White House has scheduled a classified briefing with Congress on Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said, following days of political frustration over Trump's decision to order strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without congressional approval.

    "Senior administration officials will present the latest information pertaining to the situation involving Israel and Iran," Johnson wrote on X.

    The confirmation from Johnson comes after a classified briefing scheduled for Tuesday with members of the Senate was abruptly cancelled earlier today, sparking outrage among Democrats.

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the postponement "outrageous", "evasive" and "derelict".

    Even a couple of Trump's fellow Republicans have questioned the legality of his attack on Iran without congressional approval.

    However, Johnson and a majority of Republicans have mostly backed Trump's decision, pointing to past presidents from both parties who engaged in foreign conflict without the okay from Congress.

  8. As clock ticks past midnight in the region, ceasefire appears to holdpublished at 22:06 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 21:06 24 June

    It is now past midnight in Tehran and Tel Aviv, so let's have look back at Tuesday's developments:

    • The ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding, with both acknowledging it is in place
    • It follows an angry intervention by US President Donald Trump who earlier accused both sides of violating the truce
    • The Israeli and the Iranian governments both claimed victory in their recent conflict
    • Trump is attending the Nato summit in the Netherlands, where the focus is on defence spending among the countries that make up the alliance
    • The Pentagon insisted Iran's nuclear capability has been "obliterated", as US media reports cast doubt on the claim
  9. Small drones intercepted over Iran - reportpublished at 21:57 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 20:57 24 June

    Soroush Negahdari
    BBC Monitoring

    Several mini drones were intercepted and destroyed over the northern Iranian city of Rasht, according to local officials.

    The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted Gilan Province's deputy governor as saying that the aerial targets were detected and brought down by the region's air defence systems earlier tonight.

    The official did not report any injuries or damage.

  10. Disbelief and uncertainty among Iranians as state TV hails 'victory'published at 21:53 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 20:53 24 June

    Soroush Negahdari and Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    BBC Monitoring and BBC Persian

    A security guard stands on a street, during early hours of ceasefire, in Tehran, Iran, June 24Image source, Reuters

    Rubble, shattered windows, walls that need fixing, people who need checking up on because they’ve lost a loved one during the strikes, and those who couldn’t make money because of internet disruptions - this is how the people we’ve spoken to describe the mood in Iran.

    Meanwhile, Iranian state television shows scenes of jubilant crowds celebrating what it calls a "national victory" following the US-announced ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

    BBC journalists cannot operate freely inside the country, so we’ve spoken to people inside on secure, encrypted messaging apps.

    "I wonder if the schedule for the power cuts will now be updated after the ceasefire and Iran's 'victory'," a resident of Tehran said wryly. Another told us. "Even before the war, I wasn’t optimistic about the future – now there's a mountain of problems added to that."

    There are people inside the country who fear darker days ahead for a country already dealing with poverty, inflation, energy shortages, environmental decline, and deep-rooted social injustice.

    Those we spoke to, and some on social media, are also expressing scepticism about the fate of the fragile ceasefire. There is widespread uncertainty over whether the truce signals lasting peace or just a pause before more hardship.

  11. Nato leaders discuss Iran during Netherlands summitpublished at 21:33 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 20:33 24 June

    The Dutch King and Queen stand in the centre surrounded by the leaders of Nato countries , as well as the alliance's secretary general and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They are all assembled for a group photo, with most looking into the cameraImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The Dutch King and Queen stand in the centre surrounded by the leaders of Nato countries, as well as the alliance's secretary general and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

    The leaders of Nato member states are meeting in the Netherlands today and tomorrow for a summit.

    It's a scheduled event, and the biggest item on the agenda is a plan to increase defence spending, but leaders have also been discussing the situation in the Middle East.

    Downing Street says that at a meeting between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the leaders "reflected on the volatile situation in the Middle East" and agreed now is "the time for diplomacy and for Iran to come to the negotiating table".

  12. Israeli military says it intercepted two dronespublished at 21:26 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 20:26 24 June

    The Israel Defense Forces says "earlier this evening" two drones approached Israeli territory "most likely from Iran" and were intercepted.

    It says the Israeli Air Force made the interceptions, and that they happened outside of Israeli territory.

  13. Doctor hopes for ceasefire after 'one of the toughest weeks of my life'published at 21:20 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 20:20 24 June

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    Ran RutenbergImage source, Ran Rutenberg

    Doctor Ran Rutenberg says he hopes the fragile ceasefire will hold as he has had "one of the toughest weeks" of his life.

    It's been "very stressful" working in the emergency room at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, he tells me. After every missile hits, he sees an influx of patients coming in from nearby cities, "injured by glass, shrapnel, or from slabs of concrete, furniture and ceilings falling on them", he says.

    Rutenberg worked at the hospital 12 days in a row since the conflict between Israel and Iran began.

    After a missile hit a nearby high-rise residential building, 50 people came in all at once – some moderately injured and some in a critical condition, he says.

    "The patients don't talk, they just look distressed and terrified, because they just had a missile land on their house," he says. Some of the injured are still in hospital days after the attack.

    Rutenberg says he hopes a ceasefire means he might finally get some rest.

  14. Pentagon insists Iran's nuclear capability 'obliterated' - after US media reports cast doubtpublished at 21:10 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 20:10 24 June

    Cai Pigliucci
    Reporting from the State Department

    There have been a trickle of reports from US media outlets that the US's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear programme and likely only set it back by months.

    CNN and the New York Times cite an early assessment from the US's Defense Intelligence Agency - an assessment that could change. The BBC cannot independently verify these claims.

    But the Pentagon has provided the BBC with a statement from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who says: "Based on everything we have seen - and I’ve seen it all - our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons.

    "Our massive bombs hit exactly the right spot at each target - and worked perfectly. The impact of those bombs is buried under a mountain of rubble in Iran; so anyone who says the bombs were not devastating is just trying to undermine the president and the successful mission."

    Map of northern Iran showing three nuclear facilities hit by US weapons. The map shows Tehran in the north and, moving south, the three targets of Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Fordo is annotated to say: “Bunker buster” bombs used on key nuclear site
  15. Israel lifts restrictions, signalling confidence that ceasefire will holdpublished at 20:51 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 19:51 24 June

    Ione Wells
    Reporting from Jerusalem

    After this war started, the Israeli government imposed restrictions on the country, meaning life for ordinary people changed drastically.

    Normally bustling streets were deserted, many non-essential shops and schools shut, and the airspace also closed.

    Now, the government has announced that in most of the country, apart from communities near Gaza, restrictions will lift.

    This means the Airports Authority has said flights will resume from Israel’s major airports in Tel Aviv and Haifa, schools will re-open and the health system - which previously said it would reduce operations and provide only essential treatments - is returning to normal.

    This suggests that at least for now the Israeli government is confident this ceasefire will hold.

    But we still don’t know what the terms of it are, or how long cessations have been agreed for, and it has already proved fragile.

  16. Delayed intel briefings mean we only have administration's word on Iranpublished at 20:28 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 19:28 24 June

    Nomia Iqbal
    North America correspondent

    I’ve just been at the State Department for a briefing.

    Press Secretary Tammy Bruce was very evasive on a lot questions about Iran.

    She was definitive however on their future, saying Iran “won’t have a nuclear weapon.” But US satellite imagery shows that the nuclear sites are damaged, not destroyed.

    Would the US strike again or lean on diplomacy? She insisted that we believe the president when he says the sites are destroyed.

    This comes despite intel briefings being delayed for the House and Senate - so at the moment it’s really only the administration’s word for it.

  17. Netanyahu says Israel hit Iranian regime with 'hardest blow' this morningpublished at 20:14 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 19:14 24 June

    More now from Netanyahu's televised address, which was delivered in Hebrew.

    The Israeli prime minister has reiterated his pledge that Iran will not gain access to nuclear weapons, saying that Israel will "sever" any further attempts to restore such a project.

    He adds that Israel has "destroyed Iran's missile production industry", destroying dozens of factories and severely damaging missiles stockpiles and launchers.

    "Iran's malicious intention to threaten the existence of Israel with tens of thousands of ballistic missiles - this threat has been removed," he says, adding: "We have dealt crushing blows to the evil regime."

    The Israeli prime minister says that the IDF delivered Iran "the hardest blow" since the beginning of the conflict at dawn today.

    The strikes eliminated "hundreds of regime factories and regime activists," he adds, calling it the "most crushing attack Tehran has seen in the last 50 years."

  18. Netanyahu hails 'historic victory' in Iranpublished at 20:00 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 19:00 24 June

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the ceasefire between Iran and Israel as a "historic victory".

    He says the "victory will be remembered for generations. We removed two immediate existential threats - a nuclear threat and a ballistic missile threat. If we had not acted, we would soon be facing the danger of annihilation."

    Netanyahu says that the IDF "eliminated Iran's senior command", including three chiefs of staff, nuclear scientists and other top officials.

    Israel's campaign also destroyed nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz and Arak, the prime minister says.

    He has also hailed US President Donald Trump's involvement in the campaign.

    "Our friend President Trump has stood by us in an unprecedented way - under his direction the US military destroyed the deep-earth enrichment site at Fordo," Netanyahu says.

  19. Netanyahu makes televised address as ceasefire holds with Iranpublished at 19:50 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 18:50 24 June

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just delivered a televised statement in Hebrew.

    We will bring you updates on his remarks shortly.

  20. Trump arrives in Amsterdam for Nato summitpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 24 June
    published at 18:37 24 June

    President Trump has arrived in Amsterdam for the Nato summit, where he's set to meet the security alliance's 32 leaders and attend a dinner hosted by the Dutch king.

    His flight landed at Amsterdam's Schipol airport a little after 19:30 local time (18:30 BST).

    On board Air Force One, Trump reportedly spoke to members of the press "pool" - the journalists that travel with the president - and has credited Israel for backing off from further strikes on Iran.

    He has also told journalists that he expects to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy on the sidelines of the summit.

    It is the US president's first Nato summit since 2019.

    trump departs air force oneImage source, Reuters