Israel Braces For 'Potentially Longer Conflict' After Strikes On Iranian Nuclear Site Kill Senior Commanders:

Israel on Saturday reportedly announced that it was bracing for a potentially longer conflict with Iran, following overnight strikes on an Iranian nuclear facility in Isfahan, which allegedly resulted in the deaths of three senior Iranian commanders.

Akbar Salehi, Isfahan's deputy governor for security affairs, confirmed to the Associated Press that Israeli strikes had damaged a nuclear research centre but maintained that there were no casualties.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

This marks the second time the city of Isfahan has been targeted. Israeli forces had earlier struck a nuclear enrichment facility in the city during the initial 24 hours of the conflict last week, with the stated objective of dismantling Iran's nuclear capability.

Multiple loud explosions were also reported across Iran's southwestern regions as Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes.

Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin later stated that Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir had instructed the military to prepare for a "prolonged campaign".

Meanwhile, Iran retaliated by launching another wave of drones and missiles at Israel. The Magen David Adom emergency service confirmed that a drone had hit a two-storey building in northern Israel.

An Israeli official described the attack as a "small barrage", noting that the vast majority of projectiles had been intercepted by Israeli air defences. "We're making it harder for them to fire toward Israel," the official said, adding, "Having said all that, I want to say the Iranian regime obviously still has capabilities."

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that direct involvement by the US military in the war "would be very, very dangerous for everyone".

The escalation began on 13 June when Israel launched strikes against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, claiming the lives of top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists.

Iran's health ministry reported on Saturday that more than 400 people had been killed and over 3,000 injured since the beginning of the Israeli attacks. However, a US-based human rights organisation claimed that at least 657 individuals had been killed, including 263 civilians.