Israel strikes Iran military targets after Iranian missile attack

Barak Ravid

City skyline with a tall glass-fronted building on the left; a large dark smoke plume rises from a fire among lower buildings; blue sky with clouds, distant mountains, and several antennas. — Plumes of smoke rise over Iran's capital Tehran following airstrikes amid ongoing U.S.â"Israel attacks on March 1. Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Israeli Air Force conducted strikes on military targets in central and Western Iran on Monday morning local time, Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

Why it matters: The strikes, in retaliation for an Iranian missile attack against Israel, mark a new phase in a growing escalation that started on Sunday morning. This is the first time Israel has struck Iran since the April 8 ceasefire.

Iran had threatened to expand its attacks and target U.S. bases in the region if Israel retaliated.
Further exchanges of fire could unravel the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and lead to the resumption of the war.
President Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several hours before the strikes to stand down and refrain from retaliating.

Between the lines: A U.S. defense official said the U.S. military was not involved in the Israeli strikes on Iran.

The official said the Israeli strikes were "relatively limited" in their scope.

State of play: Explosions were heard in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, Tabriz and Kermanshah, according to Iranian state media.

Iran closed its airspace around Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport following the strikes.

An hour after the Israeli strikes in Iran, a ballistic missile was launched from Yemen towards central Israel, but it was intercepted, the IDF said.
Shortly after, sirens went off in Tel Aviv. It was the first attack from Yemen since the April 8 ceasefire.

Go deeper: Israel strikes Beirut after Hezbollah attack, risking Iran response

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from a U.S. official and details of Iran closing airspace and of the missile launch from Yemen.

Add Axios on Google

Israel strikes Iran military targets after Iranian missile attack

What to read next