Israel launched strikes on Iran on Monday after coming under missile attack, marking the most serious exchange of hostilities since a ceasefire took effect in April and raising fears of a renewed escalation in the region.
Iranian state television reported explosions in the cities of Isfahan, Tabriz and Tehran, though authorities did not immediately provide further details.
Earlier in the day, Iran fired missiles at Israel in its first such attack since the fragile April ceasefire, threatening to reignite heavy fighting and complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
Tehran had vowed retaliation after Israel carried out strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday without prior warning, despite a recent request from Washington to avoid further escalation. Israel said the action followed rocket fire into northern Israel by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia activated missile warning sirens on Monday morning in an area housing an air base used by U.S. forces, adding to concerns that the conflict could spread across the region.
The Israeli strikes appeared to run counter to the position of U.S. President Donald Trump, who had publicly suggested that Israel did not need to respond further to Iran’s actions.
In an interview with the Financial Times before the Israeli operation, Trump said he had set clear parameters for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the conduct of the war.
“He won’t have any choice,” Trump said. “I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots.”
