Israel carried out air strikes on western and central Iran early Monday after Tehran launched missiles at northern Israel, shattering a two-month ceasefire and raising fears of a new round of direct confrontation.
It marks the first time since the ceasefire took hold that Iran and Israel have fired directly at each other’s territory.
–The escalation chain–
The latest exchange started after Israel hit Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday. The Israeli military said the Beirut strikes were retaliation for rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel.
Hours later, Iran responded with missiles aimed at northern Israel. Iranian state media called the barrage “the beginning of a full week of continuous strikes”.
Israel then struck back with air raids on western and central Iran. No casualty figures from either side had been confirmed at press time. Scenes from Tehran showed protesters gathering with Iranian and Hezbollah flags following the strikes.
–Trump: “They had their fun”*?–
U.S. President Donald Trump had urged Israel not to retaliate after Iran’s missile launch, according to reports. He downplayed the impact of Tehran’s attack:
“The Iranian strikes didn’t hurt anybody,” Trump reportedly said. “Each of them had their fun… we don’t need another one.”
The comment reflects Washington’s push to contain the conflict and prevent it from spiraling after 2 months of relative calm.
–What changes now-
Ceasefire broken: The direct tit-for-tat breaks the fragile truce that had held since March. Both sides now risk a cycle of escalation.
Hezbollah factor returns: Israel’s Beirut strikes show the Lebanon front is still active. Iran’s reference to “a week of strikes” suggests coordinated pressure through proxies and direct fire.
Regional nerves: Air strikes on Iran’s western/central regions signal Israel is targeting deeper inside Iranian territory than previous limited responses. Markets and airlines will watch closely.
Iran has not detailed targets hit inside Israel. Israel has not listed sites struck in Iran beyond “western and central” regions.
Diplomats are expected to ramp up calls for restraint, but with both sides publicly committing to further action, the next 48 hours will determine whether the ceasefire can be salvaged or if “a week of continuous strikes” becomes reality.
[Rewritten BBC story]
