Iran fires rockets at Israel, then declares attacks over; Israel strikes back as two-month truce collapses
Iran launched more than 20 ballistic missiles at Israel on Sunday evening, prompting retaliatory strikes on Tehran and other cities before declaring its own operations finished by Monday afternoon.
Truce breaks down
A ceasefire between Israel and Iran that had held since 8 April collapsed on Sunday evening when Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel. Israeli army sources reported more than 20 projectiles, while other accounts put the initial salvo at eleven rockets, all intercepted by Israeli air defences. Sirens sounded across northern, southern and central Israel, and residents were told to seek shelter. The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen also fired several rockets at Israel, a spokesperson said.
Retaliatory strikes
Israel responded with counter-strikes overnight into Monday, targeting what its ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, described as surface-to-surface missile launch pads and non-energy infrastructure. Iranian state television reported multiple explosions in Tehran, as well as in Tabriz and Isfahan. Unverified footage circulated of a rocket impact in the West Bank and of damage to petrochemical facilities. By midday Monday, Iran's armed forces announced the end of their operations.
The Islamic Republic has delivered a painful response to Israel in support of Lebanon. Against this background, the cessation of the armed forces' operations is announced.
The Lebanese trigger
Tehran said its attacks were a reaction to repeated Israeli violations of a separate, fragile ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel had struck what it called terrorist headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs after Hezbollah rocket fire. The Shiite militia, Iran's most important non-state ally, rejected a renewed truce deal agreed last Thursday between Israel and Lebanon and continued its attacks. The Lebanese government is not a party to the conflict and has limited influence over Hezbollah.
- Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut suburbs
- Iran fires first salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel; Houthis also launch rockets
- Israel retaliates with strikes on Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan
- Iran launches additional missile waves at Israel
- Iranian military declares end of attacks, warns against further Israeli action in Lebanon
Trump calls for immediate halt
US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social demanding both sides stop attacks at once. Shortly afterwards he wrote that Israel and Iran were considering an immediate ceasefire. Negotiations for a peace settlement would continue and should proceed quickly, he added. Trump also stated that the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place.
The negotiations for a peace solution will continue, and they should move fast.
A telegraphed escalation
SRF correspondents described the flare-up as an escalation that had been announced in advance, noting that Iran struck only hours after Israel attacked Beirut. Analysts suggested Tehran also wanted to demonstrate that its Axis of Resistance still exists and to test how the Trump administration would react to renewed hostilities. The exchange marks the first direct fire between the two countries since the US- and Iran-brokered truce took effect in early April, following the US-Israeli war against Iran that began on 28 February.
