Ignoring Trump's warning! Israel launches airstrike on Iran, first mutual attacks between Israel and Iran since the ceasefire

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Israel ignored Trump’s dissuasion and launched a counterattack after Iran’s missile strike, breaking the relatively fragile calm in the Middle East since the US-brokered ceasefire in April this year. Israel and Iran have now entered direct conflict, with the risk of war rising sharply.

According to CCTV News, on June 8 local time, Iran fired missiles at southern and central Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli sources indicated that air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and other central and southern areas. The Israeli Air Force then targeted military sites in western and central Iran, including air defense systems, weapons equipment, and missile launch sites. According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Iran later launched a new round of strikes on Israeli air bases.

According to Global Times, a US official said American forces did not participate in Israel’s operation. This round of fighting is the first direct mutual attack between Iran and Israel since the early April ceasefire agreement.

Flashpoint: Israeli Airstrike on Beirut Breaks Ceasefire Understanding

The trigger for this latest exchange was Israel's airstrike on Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered a strike on what was described as Hezbollah’s command center in southern Beirut, claiming the center had been used to plan attacks against Israel. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health stated that the airstrike killed 2 people and wounded 20 others.

Israel had previously pledged not to strike Beirut as long as Hezbollah didn’t attack Israeli territory. Last week, Trump had a tense call with Netanyahu, demanding Israel stop its strikes on Beirut. Thereafter, the US State Department announced that Israel and Lebanon had reached a broader ceasefire agreement, conditional upon Hezbollah ceasing attacks and withdrawing from the areas near the Israel-Lebanon border. However, Hezbollah and Iran immediately rejected the agreement, claiming that no ceasefire was acceptable until Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon. Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah continued, rendering the ceasefire agreement meaningless in practice.

Iran’s “Warning” Counterattack, Israel Vows Strong Response

According to Xinhua, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on the evening of the 7th that it had fired ballistic missiles at the Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel, describing the operation as a “warning.” The statement noted that when Iran accepted the April ceasefire arrangement, it was on the premise of a comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts, but the US and Israel failed to honor commitments. Israel continued its military actions in Lebanon and accused the US and Israel of taking joint action against Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Oman Bay, and other locations.

Iran’s Supreme Leader’s military adviser Mohsen Rezaei posted on social media that this response was a warning, demanding Israel stop hostile actions, or face stronger retaliation. The statement also warned that if Israel counterattacks, Iran’s future responses would target a broader range of US and Israeli-related sites throughout the region.

The Israeli Defense Forces reported that Iran fired at least three waves of missiles at Israel that night, all of which were intercepted according to Israeli claims. Israeli media quoted officials who said Israel would deliver a “forceful response” and stressed it would not allow Iran to establish any form of “balance.” Israel subsequently announced the suspension of all classes nationwide to prepare for possible ongoing hostilities.

Trump Sought De-escalation But Couldn’t Prevent Israeli Retaliation

Before Israel's counterattack, Trump actively intervened, trying to prevent the situation from getting further out of control.

According to CCTV News, Trump stated that he had been briefed on the escalation and that US forces were on alert. He told reporters that Iran’s missile attack was “not helping negotiations” and directly called on Tehran to return to talks: “You launched your missiles, that’s enough, come back to make a deal.”

Trump also made it clear that he would call Netanyahu to ask him not to retaliate, arguing that the US-Iran nuclear deal was “close at hand” and he did not want the current situation to endanger the agreement. According to the Financial Times as cited by the Wall Street Journal, Trump even declared, “I am directing the course of this war, he [Netanyahu] does not have decision-making power.” However, under domestic political pressure, Netanyahu still ordered the counterattack.

US Central Command had previously released a video showing US fighter jets and stated, “US forces in the Middle East remain on high alert and ready for action.” A US official clarified that American forces were not involved in Israel’s airstrike on Iran.

Escalation of Attacks: Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Join

The situation became more complex on the morning of the 8th. According to The Wall Street Journal, Israeli air raid sirens sounded again that morning, and the military claimed to have intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Yemen, allegedly by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee posted on social media that explosions could be heard overhead during Israel’s interception. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that Israel used air-launched ballistic missiles to strike targets within Iran, with explosions reported in Tehran and other areas.

The military forces of the US and Iran have already had numerous direct confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Wall Street Journal reported that last Saturday, the US military shot down four drones Iran launched toward the key waterway and targeted Iranian coastal surveillance and radar facilities, following several previous incidents in the region. Iran is currently blockading the strait, which handles about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

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