Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel late on Sunday for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, threatening to derail sensitive talks and cast the region back into chaos.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said they targeted Israel’s Ramat David Air Base in retaliation for an earlier Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut. Israel had struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district despite its ceasefire agreement with Lebanon; the Lebanon health ministry said two people were killed and 20 wounded.
“Iran fires missiles at Israel for first time since April, Trump urges Netanyahu not to retaliate.”
Shortly before the missile launch, Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei warned on X that Tehran would give a “painful” response. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a threat to US bases and assets, calling them “legitimate targets”. The IRGC said any Israeli response would face “more crushing and regretful blows”.
The Israeli military reported its air defences were intercepting incoming missiles just after 10pm local time, with a second wave minutes later. By 11pm, the IDF announced all threats had been intercepted and citizens could leave protected spaces. No casualties were reported.
Donald Trump, who told Fox News he was “not happy” about Israel’s Beirut strike, urged Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respond. “Hopefully Israel is not going to retaliate. If Bibi strikes them back it’s just gonna keep going like the last 47 years, or the last 3,000 years,” Trump said in comments to Axios. “Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don't need another one.”
Trump told the Financial Times: “I call the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn’t call the shots,” adding that the Israeli prime minister would have “no choice” but to accept a deal with Iran. If a deal failed, Trump said he would consider a commando raid. “What I would suggest to Iran: You’ve shot your missiles, that’s enough. Get back to the table and make a deal,” he told Fox News.
Despite Trump’s call, Israeli sources told Axios and Reuters that Israel was planning to respond. IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the chief of staff was “approving plans for the future” and that “the Iranian terror regime made a grave mistake”. The Israeli government agency Cogat announced the closure of the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings into Gaza until further notice after the attacks. Iran suspended flights from Imam Khomeini Airport, according to the IRNA news agency.
“It’s certainly not going to help negotiations,” Trump told Fox News as missiles flew, signalling a widening rift between Washington and Jerusalem over how to contain the crisis.