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class=”img” alt=”A projectile streaks through the sky over central Israel during an Iranian missile attack, Sunday, June 7, 2026.”
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A projectile streaks through the sky over central Israel during an Iranian missile attack, Sunday, June 7, 2026.
Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
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Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — In retaliation for missile fire from Tehran, Israel carried out airstrikes early Monday morning, targeting central and western Iran. These incidents have raised concerns about the possibility of a regional war in the Middle East.
Monday marked the 100th day of the Iran war, which began on February 28 when Israel and the United States conducted strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders. Although a nominal ceasefire was reached on April 8, a lasting resolution remains elusive due to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil and gas trade, and ongoing skirmishes involving Israel and Hezbollah.
The threat of a renewed escalation looms large, with global energy supplies at risk and Iran holding a significant stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Recent involvement by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the conflict further exacerbates tensions.
Israel strikes Iran
Iranian state television reported explosions in Isfahan, Karaj, Tabriz, and Tehran, without providing further details. A witness in Tehran noted hearing a significant blast west of the capital. Following the Israeli attack, Iran closed the airspace around its main airport, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport.
In Israel, sirens blared on Monday after the military reported a missile launch from Yemen targeting the country. However, no casualties or impacts were reported from this launch.
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, based in Yemen, have previously fired missiles at Israel during the Israel-Hamas conflict but have not been heavily involved in the Iran war. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the latest attack, as they often take time to acknowledge their actions.
Iranian officials have not disclosed what was targeted or the extent of any damage. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard stated that Israel used air-launched ballistic missiles but provided no additional information.
The Israeli military issued a brief statement at dawn in Iran, declaring that the Israeli Air Force struck military targets associated with the Iranian regime in western and central Iran, without elaborating.
In Saudi Arabia, missile alert sirens rang out Monday morning near an air base hosting U.S. forces. Saudi state media reported the alert in the Al Kharj governorate, home to Prince Sultan Air Base, following Israel’s strikes on Iran. The alert was later lifted without further explanation.
Trump says ‘I call the shots,’ not Israel
The White House did not comment on whether the strikes were coordinated with the U.S.
A senior U.S. official stated that President Donald Trump had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate immediately for the Iranian missile attack. The official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that Trump believed he had convinced Netanyahu to delay any response.
Trump “got Bibi to hold off for the time being,” the official noted, though no further details of the conversation were provided, and Netanyahu’s office did not comment.
Negotiations between Iran and the United States over the fragile ceasefire have been hindered by clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel’s recent occupation of southern Lebanon and its move into areas it hadn’t controlled in decades have raised concerns about an expanded military campaign.
On Sunday, Israel conducted airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Iran retaliated with its own strike on Israel, which led to Monday morning’s Israeli attack on Iran.
Earlier, Trump expressed to a Fox News Channel reporter his desire for Iran to cease missile launches and return to negotiations. He also noted his dissatisfaction with Israel’s earlier airstrikes in Lebanon, which were not coordinated with the U.S.
In an interview with The Financial Times before the Israeli strikes on Iran, Trump stated that he dictated to Netanyahu how the war should proceed, saying, “He won’t have any choice. I call the shots. I call all the shots. He (Netanyahu) doesn’t call the shots.”
