Israel said it carried out a series of retaliatory air strikes on Iran after Tehran launched ballistic missiles in what has become the gravest challenge to the fragile two-month ceasefire between both rivals.
In a statement posted on X early Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said the Israeli air force had “struck military targets . . . in western and central Iran”, adding that additional details would be released later.
The Israeli action followed Iran’s missile barrage targeting northern Israel on Sunday. Tehran said the attack was in retaliation for an earlier Israeli strike on Beirut that targeted the Iran-backed Hizbollah militant group.
The missiles marked Iran’s first direct attack on Israel since the ceasefire between the two countries came into effect in April.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that the “Zionist enemy used air-launched ballistic missiles to attack targets within our country’s territory”, without providing further information.
Iranian state television had earlier reported explosions in Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan, along with blasts in Baghdad and Beirut.
The renewed escalation rattled global markets, with oil prices climbing sharply amid fears that the conflict could jeopardise broader Middle East negotiations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and boosting oil exports.
Brent crude rose by 3 per cent during early Asian trading to reach $95.92 per barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate advanced 3.1 per cent to $93.32.
US President Donald Trump had earlier told Fox News that he would instruct Israel not to retaliate against Iran.
However, hardline figures within Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet pushed for a strong response to the Iranian missile strikes. National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X: “Tehran must burn tonight.”
Speaking to the Financial Times by telephone on Sunday, Trump maintained that the latest confrontation would not affect ongoing US negotiations with Iran.
Trump also insisted Netanyahu would ultimately have to accept any agreement reached, saying: “I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots.”
