Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, raising fears that the region could slide back into full-scale conflict despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The missile attack marked the first direct Iranian strike on Israel since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April.
Iranian state television confirmed the launch, while explosions were reported across northern Israel.
The Israeli military said its air defence systems were intercepting the incoming missiles but acknowledged that no defence network is completely foolproof. Air raid sirens were activated in several parts of the country.
The latest escalation came hours after Israel carried out an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh without prior warning. Lebanese health authorities said the strike hit a residential building, killing two people and injuring at least 20 others.
Israel said the attack was a response to rockets allegedly fired earlier in the day by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group into northern Israel.
The strike came despite recent efforts by Washington to prevent further military action. Earlier this week, Lebanon and Israel agreed to a ceasefire framework during talks hosted by the United States, although Hezbollah rejected the arrangement.
Iran had repeatedly warned that any renewed attack on Beirut would trigger a wider regional response.
Following Sunday’s missile launch, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a stern warning to Israel, demanding an immediate halt to military operations in Lebanon.
“We previously warned that if attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs continued, targets inside the occupied territories would be struck,” the Guard said in a statement.
It added that any further Israeli escalation would be met with what it described as “more crushing and regretful blows.”
The exchange has further complicated efforts to secure a broader peace agreement involving Iran, Israel and regional actors.
Iran has insisted that any comprehensive deal with Washington must include a permanent end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Hezbollah has also rejected separate negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, maintaining that the Lebanese conflict cannot be isolated from the wider regional crisis.
Diplomatic efforts nevertheless continued on Sunday.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister held talks in Tehran with Iranian officials, while Egypt said its foreign minister and his Qatari counterpart discussed possible elements of a broader settlement, though no details were disclosed.
The White House did not immediately comment on Israel’s latest strike in Beirut.
In an interview recorded before the latest escalation, US President Donald Trump said he favoured a “more surgical approach” toward Hezbollah and indicated he was not insisting that Lebanon be included in a wider ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high across the Gulf. Iran continues to exert pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, while US restrictions on Iranian ports have disrupted shipments of oil, natural gas and fertiliser, adding strain to global markets.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue military operations until Hezbollah no longer poses what he considers a threat to Israel, setting the stage for further uncertainty as regional and international mediators struggle to prevent a wider war.
