Iran fires missiles at Israel for first time since April ceasefire as region braces for escalation
Israel's air defence systems were activated Sunday night as Iranian missiles streaked toward Israeli territory, the first direct attack from Tehran since both sides agreed to a ceasefire in early April. Iran launched the strikes hours after Israeli jets hit Beirut's southern suburbs, killing two people and wounding at least 20, during strikes on the Dahiyeh district, a stronghold of Hezbollah.
Israel said the strikes targeted what it described as militant infrastructure in response to Hezbollah rocket fire into Israeli territory. Hezbollah confirmed it had fired at Israeli military positions.
Israeli authorities subsequently told civilians they could leave protected spaces. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
What Iran said
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that the strikes on Israel "served as a warning" and that it had targeted the Ramat David Airbase, south-east of Haifa, using ballistic missiles. The IRGC described the operation as "the beginning of a full week of continuous strikes", warning that missiles and drones would continue "around the clock for the next seven days." It added that any targeting of Iranian territory would be met with a "devastating and overwhelming response."
The IRGC also said its acceptance of the April ceasefire had been conditional on fire ending on all fronts, and that the US and Israel had not adhered to their commitments.
Iran's foreign ministry said the strikes followed repeated violations of the April ceasefire, including US attacks on Iranian ships and targets in southern Iran. The ministry warned that any Israeli attack against Lebanon or Iran would be met with "a crushing and comprehensive response."
Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that US bases and Israeli assets in the region had become "legitimate targets", citing what he described as a US naval blockade and violations of ceasefire agreements regarding Lebanon.
What Israel said
Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said Iran had made "a grave mistake" and that Israel "will not allow continued fire" towards its citizens. The IDF's chief of the general staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, said Israel "will strike the enemy with determination as soon as the order is given."
The Israeli military also said Iran was attempting to establish a new deterrence equation by launching direct attacks on Israeli territory in response to Israeli operations in Beirut, and that it would "not allow this."
Two Israeli sources told CNN that Israel would deliver a powerful response to the missile launches. A separate Israeli source told the Walla news site that Iran would be "hit hard." Israel's military said schools across the country would be shut on Monday.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged a forceful Israeli response, according to Iran International. "Containment or a symbolic response will signal to our enemies that the blood of our citizens is permitted," Bennett was quoted as saying. The Gulf Edition has not independently verified this quote with a primary source.
What the US said
US President Donald Trump told Axios he had called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and urged him not to retaliate. "Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don't need another one," Trump told Axios, as reported by correspondent Barak Ravid. Trump also said he did not want the strikes to derail ongoing negotiations, telling Axios: "We are very close to a final deal with Iran. I don't want it to blow up because of what is happening now."
Trump separately told Fox News that the Iranian strikes "didn't hit anyone" and urged Iran to "get back to the table and make a deal." He also told the network he was "not happy" about the Israeli strikes on Beirut, saying they had not been coordinated with him.
According to a breaking news item cited in Iran International's live blog, the Financial Times reported that Trump told Netanyahu he would have "no choice" but to accept a deal with Iran. The same report, according to Iran International's account of the FT piece, said Trump indicated he would consider a commando raid on Iran if a potential deal failed on its merits. The Gulf Edition has not independently verified the Financial Times report, and the White House has not confirmed either claim.
Trump told NBC News he did not plan to withdraw US troops from the region, saying "I think we'll keep them there until such time as we have a completion."
US forces in the Middle East were placed on alert for possible Iranian attacks, according to Axios, citing a US defence official.
Internal divisions within Iran
According to two sources close to Iran's military, cited by Iran International, the IRGC had put its missile units on full alert before the strikes and formally requested authorisation from the office of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to launch attacks on Israel. Iran International said it was unclear at the time of reporting whether the request had been approved. This account has not been independently verified.
The same report said Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian's government had warned internally that any hasty IRGC action would give Israel a pretext for heavy retaliation and risk derailing ongoing negotiations with the US. According to Iran International, the Pezeshkian administration believed Iran was not in a position to enter a new conflict.
Separately, Pezeshkian said publicly that Iran must enter negotiations with the US "from a position of strength" and that its negotiating team "would not back down."
Regional and diplomatic responses
Iraq closed its airspace for 72 hours following the launches, citing air traffic safety, according to Reuters. Syria temporarily closed its southern airspace for 12 hours and suspended operations at Damascus International Airport. Iran closed airspace over the west of the country after launching its strikes, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA. Sirens sounded in parts of Jordan, Jordanian state television reported. Qatar's civil aviation authority said reports of its airspace being closed were inaccurate.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held calls with his counterparts from the UK, France, Turkey and Qatar, as well as with Pakistan's army chief, according to a statement on his official Telegram account. Qatar's Prime Minister and Egyptian Foreign Minister met in Cairo to discuss mediation efforts between the US and Iran, according to Qatar's foreign ministry.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called on "both sides to show restraint and de-escalate immediately", adding that negotiations must continue "towards the lasting settlement that we all need."
France said further sanctions on Israeli settlers could be imposed "in the coming days", citing escalating settlement activity and violence in the West Bank, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Background and wider context
The April ceasefire had been violated repeatedly by multiple parties before Sunday's escalation, according to the BBC. On the Saturday before the missile strikes, US forces struck Iranian coastal radar sites in the Strait of Hormuz after shooting down Iranian drones. Iran's IRGC said it retaliated by striking US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Middle East Institute senior fellow Brian Katulis told NPR that ceasefires in the region had "been broken almost on a daily basis over the last few weeks" and described the Beirut strikes as "the latest tit for tat escalation."
Lebanon's health ministry reported that between 2 March and 4 June 2026, more than 3,500 people were killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon and more than 10,000 wounded, as cited by NPR.
The global airline industry halved its 2026 profit forecast, citing Middle East conflict as a key driver, according to the International Air Transport Association. IATA now expects combined industry net profit of $23 billion in 2026, down from a previous forecast of $41 billion, with fuel costs and disruption to Gulf air corridors cited as primary factors.
A US-drafted resolution circulated ahead of a UN nuclear watchdog board meeting demands Iran provide "precise information" on its nuclear sites and enriched uranium stocks, according to Reuters.
