Middle East Tensions Rise as Israel and Iran Trade Blows

A fresh wave of violence has erupted in the Middle East, with Israel and Iran engaging in a series of attacks and counterattacks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed responsibility for launching attacks on Israel's Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases, in response to Israeli airstrikes on radar sites across Iran. The Israeli military had earlier struck several targets at the petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, southwestern Iran, as well as other military targets in the country. This move was in retaliation for an Iranian barrage against northern Israel, which did not result in any injuries. Iranian media reported multiple explosions in Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan. Meanwhile, in Yemen, the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels announced that they had fired a salvo of missiles toward Israel and declared that they would ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea. The conflict escalated on Sunday when Iranian forces launched a wave of missiles at northern Israel, the first such attack since a truce was agreed upon in April. Israel stated that it was targeting positions of the Iran-aligned group Hezbollah in Beirut's southern suburbs. The attacks were the first on the Lebanese capital since Washington announced a ceasefire extension in Lebanon last week. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran's Central Command, accused the US of giving Israel permission to attack Beirut. Tehran has long insisted that a truce with Washington includes a halt to hostilities in Lebanon. Since the start of the truce between Iran and the US, Israel has continued to attack Lebanon and has expanded the area it occupies in the country's south, claiming it is acting in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters who continue to fire rockets and drones at northern Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet commented publicly on the attacks, but multiple Israeli media reports indicate that he will convene a security cabinet meeting. The exchange of fire comes as Washington and Tehran are discussing an extension of the ceasefire agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing energy prices, which have surged since Iran blocked the waterway following joint US-Israel attacks on its territory on February 28. Following the latest exchange of fire, Brent crude, the international benchmark, jumped above $97 a barrel. US President Trump has not commented publicly on the latest attacks, but he reportedly spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday night and urged him to avoid further military action. In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump stated that the latest flare-up would not affect negotiations with Iran, saying, 'I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots,' referring to Netanyahu. In a separate interview with Fox News, he said he had told Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran. The situation remains volatile, with both sides engaging in a war of words and actions, threatening a return to full-blown war in the region.