Israel and Iran Exchange New Attacks as Ceasefire Comes Under Severe Strain
Israel and Iran Exchange New Attacks as Ceasefire Comes Under Severe Strain
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Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks on Monday, raising fears that a fragile ceasefire could collapse and draw the region back into wider conflict.
The Israeli military said it detected new waves of Iranian missiles launched toward Israel, with warning sirens activated in parts of central Israel and Jerusalem. Israeli media reported explosions heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as authorities moved to tighten public safety measures, including the cancellation of public activities and gatherings and the closure of educational institutions.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out strikes on Israeli military sites, claiming that the attacks targeted the Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases. Tehran described the operation as a response to Israeli airstrikes inside Iran.
Israel said its air force struck military targets in western and central Iran. Israeli military-linked reports said the strikes targeted air-defense systems in Tehran and other parts of the country, while Reuters reported that Israel also hit the Mahshahr petrochemical complex in southwestern Iran, marking a significant escalation because of the site’s energy importance.
Iranian media reported explosions in several cities, including Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan. The full scale of damage on either side could not be independently verified.
The escalation followed Iranian missile fire toward northern Israel, which Tehran said came in response to Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Israel said those attacks targeted Hezbollah positions.
Yemen’s Houthi movement also entered the latest round of escalation, claiming a missile attack against Israel and threatening to block Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea.
The renewed fighting has alarmed Washington. U.S. media reported that President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged restraint. Reuters and other outlets reported that Israel nevertheless carried out further strikes, while Trump said the latest flare-up would not derail talks with Iran.
