Iran and Israel Trade Direct Missile Strikes, Ceasefire Collapses
Iran and Israel have launched direct military strikes against each other for the first time since April, shattering a fragile ceasefire and raising fears of a wider regional war.
Israel said Monday that Iran had fired missiles at its territory, hours after Israel launched airstrikes against central and western Iran [168572]. The attacks came after Israeli operations in Lebanon [168312]. The escalation marks the first direct exchange of fire between the two countries since a ceasefire in April and threatens to pull the wider Middle East back into a regional war [168572].
Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday, retaliating for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs [168241]. Hours later, Israel launched its own military strikes on Iranian territory [168241]. The exchange raises deep questions and fears among the Israeli public, with media and opposition leaders calling the situation “decisive days” [168235].
Both Iran and Israel announced a halt to their latest round of attacks on Monday, but each side warned it would strike back if hit again [168272]. The joint pause followed a call from former U.S. President Donald Trump urging an end to the fighting [168272]. Trump urged both sides in back-to-back social media posts to “immediately stop ‘shooting’” and later announced that Iran and Israel were “looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE!” [168078]. He added that “final” peace negotiations were “proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity” [168078].
The sudden escalation raises fears of a wider regional war [168078]. The Iranian military’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has emboldened hardliners in Tehran, with some officials seeing this as a point of no return in the confrontation with Israel [168356]. A minority within Iran’s government now openly welcomes abandoning ceasefire talks with the United States [168356].
A leading international politics expert warns that Donald Trump’s acceptance of an Iranian proposal has handed Tehran the political initiative in ongoing negotiations [168552]. Scott Lucas, Professor of American Studies and International Politics at University College Dublin’s Clinton Institute, says both Iran and Israel are increasingly acting on their own, ignoring Washington’s preferences, which exposes Trump’s fading ability to control events [168552].