WATCH: Iran launches new attack two months later, missiles raining across Israeli night sky

Conflict in the Middle East has erupted again as Iran fired missiles at Israel, the first escalation since a fragile ceasefire agreement came into effect on April 8. When the missile hit the ground, several bright bands of light appeared in the night sky. Alerts were sounded in many areas of Israel and millions of people were sent to shelters. The Israeli military said it intercepted the missiles, but multiple explosions were heard in the north of the country. Within an hour, the military informed residents that they could leave the fortified area. Israel condemned the attack and said it was prepared to respond. “Iran made a serious mistake,” said Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Efe Devlin. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, chief of military staff, said that “once the order is issued, we will immediately and resolutely attack the enemy.”Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed the missile launch, while authorities closed western airspace in anticipation of a possible Israeli response. The attack came after Tehran warned Israel it would retaliate against attacks in Beirut’s southern suburbs.“If these acts of aggression occur again, the response will be broader and will cover all U.S. and Zionist targets throughout the region,” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said, referring to attacks on ships off the coast of Lebanon and Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.Israel says Iran-backed Hezbollah opened fire on northern Israel ahead of an Iranian missile launch. The country also warned that any attack on Beirut could reignite an all-out war across the Middle East.

Trump urges restraint

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump appears to be discouraging further escalation. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that Trump did not think Israel needed any further response. The US president also told the Financial Times, “I have the final say. He (Netanyahu) does not have the final say.”A senior U.S. official said Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the missile attack and urged him not to retaliate immediately. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump believed he had convinced Netanyahu to wait.Trump “asked Bibi to hold off for now,” the official said.

The missile strikes further complicate efforts to resume talks between Tehran and Washington as the Middle East crisis stretches into its 100th day.Shortly before the launch, U.S. Central Command posted on X that “U.S. forces in the Middle East remain alert and prepared.” The U.S. Embassy in Israel subsequently instructed employees and family members to shelter in place.

Lebanon remains a key flashpoint

The latest tensions follow Israeli attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs, days after Lebanese and Israeli authorities agreed to a ceasefire during U.S.-led talks that was rejected by Hezbollah.An Israeli military spokesman said: “The army will continue to operate throughout Lebanon.”Israel’s military campaign and ground incursions into Lebanon, coupled with Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm, have complicated efforts to reach a broader agreement to end the conflict. Iran insists any deal must include an end to the fighting in Lebanon.Trump told a Fox News Channel reporter that he wanted Iran to stop launching missiles and return to negotiations. He also said Sunday’s Israeli attack was not coordinated with Washington, adding, “I’m not happy about that.”

Airspace closures and regional impacts

Meanwhile, tensions continue around the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran still controls and the United States continues to block Iranian ports. Transportation of oil, natural gas and fertilizers has been affected.Since the ceasefire began, Iran has launched missiles and drones into Gulf states and said it was targeting the U.S. military presence in the region.After Sunday’s missile launch against Israel, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced a 72-hour closure of the country’s airspace, while the Syrian Aviation Authority ordered a 12-hour closure of the country’s airspace.Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority said flights from Tehran’s main international airport were also suspended, the official Mizan news agency reported.Meanwhile, the crisis that began when Israel and the United States launched a joint strike against Iran on February 28 has now lasted more than three months.