The Israeli army launched attacks on Iranian military targets. “The Iranian regime has made a grave mistake!”
The Israeli military announced that it had launched strikes on military targets in western and central Iran, after warning that it would retaliate against the Iranian attack.
US President Donald Trump previously asked his Israeli counterpart not to retaliate for Iranian attacks, according to several publications, the BBC writes. Fox News previously reported that Trump also told Iran, “You've fired your missiles. That's enough!”
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says the multiple waves of rockets fired at northern Israel are “the beginning of a week of continuous attacks”.
Most of the rockets aimed at Israel have been intercepted and Israelis have now been told they can leave the shelters.
On Sunday, Israel announced it had struck Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut, prompting threats of an Iranian response.
Israeli army: Iranian regime made a “serious mistake”
The Israeli attacks on Beirut are raising questions about the limits of US influence over its partner and narrowing the range of options for Washington to end the war, writes the BBC's John Sudworth.
A spokeswoman for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Effie Defrin, said in a brief statement that the Iranian regime had made a “serious mistake.”
Tensions between Iran, Israel and the US over Israel's offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon have escalated in recent days.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his army the green light to attack Beirut's southern suburbs again last week, Tehran threatened to carry out further attacks on northern Israel.
The possibility of another major escalation in Lebanon prompted US President Donald Trump to tell Netanyahu, in the harshest possible terms, to hold off, fearing such action would derail the already fraying truce between the US and Iran.
Netanyahu agreed, but on the condition that Hezbollah stop firing rockets into northern Israel.
The Israeli and Lebanese governments later agreed to a new ceasefire in US-mediated talks. But the truce did not seem to have much effect.
Israel carried out attacks on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut in response to Hezbollah's continued rocket fire on Israel. Hours later, Iran followed through on its threat, launching missiles and drones at Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed to continue for seven days.
There could be a new round of tooth-for-tooth attacks between the two countries, which could reignite the war in Iran.
How President Trump reacts is essential, writes the BBC. For now, he still seems determined to try to defuse the situation.
