As Israel-Iran conflict entered its second week on Saturday, Israel claimed the killing of two senior commanders in Iran’s elite Quds Force and confirmed airstrikes on a nuclear research site in Isfahan.

The Israeli military said it had “eliminated” Behnam Shahriyari, a senior Quds Force official, in a targeted strike on his vehicle in western Iran. Shahriyari, who was sanctioned by the United States and accused by Britain of supporting armed groups across the region, had reportedly overseen weapons transfers to Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces said another Quds Force commander, Saeed Izadi, had also been killed. In a briefing to reporters, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Ephraim Defrin described the two as key figures in Iran’s efforts to escalate the conflict on Israeli soil. “They were at the forefront of the Iranian project of pushing the war into Israel’s territory,” he said.

Defrin also confirmed that Israeli warplanes struck Iran’s nuclear complex in Isfahan for a second time, calling the ongoing operation “one of the most complex wars in Israel’s history.” He warned that the country must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” and said military objectives inside Iran had not yet been fully achieved. “We’ll continue until the existing threat is removed,” he said.

Rising civilian toll

Iran’s Health Ministry reported Saturday that more than 400 people have been killed since the outbreak of hostilities last Friday, with over 3,000 injured. A statement from the ministry, carried by state broadcaster IRIB, accused Israel of targeting civilians. “As of this morning, the Israeli regime’s hands are stained with the blood of 400 defenseless Iranians,” it said.

The Tasnim news agency, which is closely aligned with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that 54 women and children were among the dead. Most of the casualties, Iranian officials said, occurred in urban areas affected by missile and drone strikes.

Tactical shift and diplomatic tensions

Israeli defense officials reported a noticeable decline in ballistic missile fire from Iran overnight, suggesting that previous Israeli airstrikes may have successfully degraded Iran’s launch capabilities. However, two drones did breach Israeli air defenses — a rare occurrence — raising concerns about Iran’s shift toward precision-guided attacks.

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Turkey for emergency consultations following a high-level but inconclusive summit with European officials on Saturday. In remarks made before departing, Abbas Araghchi warned that any direct involvement by the United States would be “dangerous for everybody.”

President Trump reiterated that he will make a final decision on U.S. military involvement in the coming days. “Two weeks is the maximum — I may decide sooner,” he said.

With both sides showing little interest in de-escalation and diplomatic efforts stalled, fears are mounting that the conflict could expand into a wider regional war.