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2025-06-18 Israel-Iran strikes – Learning English from the News

The story

Israel launched an attack on Iran last Friday, targeting nuclear and military facilities.

The strikes killed several senior Iranian military commanders and Iranian nuclear scientists.

Iran retaliated with missile attacks targeting Israel.

Iran’s health ministry said at least 224 people have been killed in the Israeli strikes, while Israel says Iranian attacks have killed 24 people.

News headlines

Iran Launches New Missile Barrage, Israel Claims Assassination of Top General
Palestine Chronicle

Israel’s strikes zeroed in on Iran’s nuclear program. How much damage was done?
CNN

Trump says early G7 exit ‘nothing to do’ with Macron’s remarks on Israel-Iran ceasefire offer
France 24

Key words and phrases

barrage
a large amount of something that all comes at once

  • The TV show received a barrage of complaints after the presenter made an offensive comment.

zero in on
focus all your attention on something

  • The government has said they will zero in on youth unemployment this year – it’s their main focus.

to do with (something)
about or connected to

  • I’m sneezing a lot lately. I think it has something to do with the dust.

BBC Learning English

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