Israel strikes military targets in western and central Iran after Tehran fires missiles at Israel

The exchange of fire

The Israeli Air Force attacked military targets in western and central Iran in the early hours of Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Telegram. The strikes followed several waves of Iranian missiles launched against Israel on Sunday evening, which triggered air-raid sirens at nearly 300 locations across Israeli territory, including the cities of Haifa, Caesarea and Hadera. The IDF said it intercepted all incoming missiles.

Iran's Fars news agency reported explosions in areas of Tehran, Isfahan and Tabriz. The Iranian attack was described by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "warning," with a statement threatening a "more forceful response" if further aggression occurred.

The operation tonight is a warning. If such aggressions are repeated, the response will be broader and will target all American-Zionist targets in the Middle East region.

The Beirut trigger

The Iranian missiles were launched after an Israeli strike on two apartments in the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as the Dahye, on Sunday. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported at least two people dead and 20 wounded. Israel said the operation targeted a Hezbollah headquarters. The bombing was the first on Beirut since a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was agreed in US-brokered talks, though Hezbollah rejected the deal.

Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the IDF spokesman, said Israel would continue operations across Lebanon and intensify pressure on Hezbollah. "We attacked the southern suburbs of Beirut in response to Hezbollah's incessant fire against northern Israeli settlements," Defrin said. "The IDF will continue its operations throughout Lebanon and intensify its attacks against the terrorist organization Hezbollah. We will not allow further attacks against citizens of the State of Israel."

Diplomatic scramble

President Donald Trump told Axios he planned to call Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately to ask him not to retaliate. "I'm going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to counterattack. Each of them had their fun. Israel had its bombing, and Iran had its bombing. We don't need another," Trump said. He later told the Financial Times that Netanyahu "will have no choice" but to accept any deal negotiated between Washington and Tehran, adding that the Israeli prime minister "does not make the decisions."

Trump also told Fox News Channel that Israel's Sunday morning strikes were not coordinated with the United States. "I'm not happy with that," he said.

I'm going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to counterattack. Each of them had their fun. Israel had its bombing, and Iran had its bombing. We don't need another.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held phone calls with counterparts from the United Kingdom, Turkey, Pakistan, France and Qatar. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called on both sides to de-escalate immediately, saying the resumption of conflict "benefits no one."

Ceasefire under strain

The renewed hostilities threaten the US-led negotiations to halt the wider Middle East war. Iran has insisted that any agreement must include an end to fighting in Lebanon. The US-brokered ceasefire announced on 8 April between Iran and the US was understood by Tehran to cover Lebanon, and Iran had warned it would retaliate if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continued.

Israel's military said it would persist with operations across Lebanon. The ground invasion and airstrikes in pursuit of Hezbollah, and the militant group's refusal to disarm, have complicated a comprehensive deal to end the regional war.