Coin Press - Iran state TV briefly knocked off air by strike after missiles kill 11 in Israel

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel on Friday launched a surprise aerial campaign against targets across Iran, saying they aimed to prevent its arch-foe from acquiring atomic weapons -- a charge Tehran denies.

The sudden flare-up in hostilities has sparked fears of a wider conflict, with British Prime Minister Kier Starmer saying from a G7 summit in Canada that he believed there was "a consensus for de-escalation" among leaders of the club of wealthy democracies.

Israel's strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian authorities.

Iran has launched several waves of missiles in retaliation, with Iran's Revolutionary Guards warning Monday of "effective, targeted and more devastating operations" to come.

In Tehran, the live feed of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) was abruptly cut when an Israeli strike hit its building on Monday.

A presenter in the midst of lambasting Israel was forced to flee mid-broadcast when a powerful explosion rocked the building, knocking out the monitors behind her and sending debris and dust falling from the ceiling, footage showed.

Israel had previously issued an evacuation warning for the part of town where IRIB is located, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying before the strike that Iran's "propaganda and incitement megaphone is about to disappear".

He later warned that Israel would "strike the Iranian dictator everywhere".

IRIB resumed its broadcast shortly after the strike, with a senior official at the service saying "the voice of the Islamic revolution... will not be silenced with a military operation".

Explosions could also be heard elsewhere across the capital, including in the west, where a cloud of black smoke billowed into the sky.

After days of repeated strikes, residents appeared to be streaming out of the city, according to social media posts verified by AFP, showing huge traffic jams on the main road heading north.

- Children screaming -

In Israel, Iranian attacks on Monday hit Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva and Haifa -- leaving behind shattered homes, smouldering wreckage and stunned residents picking through debris.

"I have four children, four boys. We're very scared, but everyone is OK," said Idan Bar, whose building in Petah Tikva was among those hit.

The death toll in Israel rose by 11 on Monday, the prime minister's office said, bringing the total since Friday to 24. The figure included three people killed when a missile struck an oil refinery in Haifa on Sunday, according to an Israeli official.

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that a nearby missile strike also lightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv, while the US State Department warned citizens on Monday not to travel to Israel due to security concerns.

At the same time, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was leaving Southeast Asia after cancelling plans to dock in Vietnam, amid reports it is headed to the Middle East to boost the US presence as Israel and Iran do battle.

- 'Cool down the tensions' -

Britain's Starmer told reporters at the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies on Monday that he believed his fellow leaders were united in wanting de-escalation between Israel and Iran.

"The risk of the conflict escalating is obvious, I think, and the implications -- not just for the region but globally -- are really immense, so the focus has to be on de-escalation," he said.

Iran, in turn, demanded that the International Atomic Energy Agency to "take a firm position" in condemning Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile told his Iranian counterpart in a phone call that Ankara was ready to play a "facilitating role" to end the conflict.

- 'Make a deal' -

The Israeli military said Monday it had destroyed 120 missile launchers, describing this as a third of Iran's total.

Addressing Iran's parliament, President Masoud Pezeshkian urged citizens to "stand strong against this genocidal criminal aggression with unity and coherence".

US President Donald Trump has insisted Washington had "nothing to do" with its ally Israel's campaign, but warned any Iranian attack on American interests would trigger "the full strength" of the US military.

After indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran were scuttled by Israel's attack, Trump on Monday urged Iran to come back to the negotiating table.

"They have to make a deal, and it's painful for both parties, but I'd say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk, and they should talk immediately before it's too late," he said from the G7 summit.

A senior US official told AFP Trump had intervened to prevent Israel from carrying out an assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

burs-smw/ysm

J.Bondarev--CPN