![In this photo illustration, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are seen behind the Israeli flag, with all of them displayed on screens, in Ankara, Turkiye on June 24, 2025. [Dilara İrem Sancar - Anadolu Agency]](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/AA-20250624-38371242-38371236-IRAN_ISRAEL_AND_UNITED_STATES.jpg)
The mayor of Dimona in southern Israel ordered the opening of public shelters across the city on Wednesday evening amid heightened regional tensions, Israeli media reported. The decision was taken because “it is better to be prepared than surprised,” Mayor Benny Biton said in comments carried by the daily Israel Hayom. Israeli Telegram platforms circulated images, whose authenticity could not be independently verified, claiming the Iron Dome air-defense system was being deployed to Jerusalem. The developments come as US officials escalated rhetoric against Iran, which has been rocked by anti-government protests since last month over worsening economic conditions. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump told CBS News that Washington would take “very strong action” if Iranian authorities carried out executions […]
