JERUSALEM (AP) 鈥� Iran launched missiles at Israel in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, raising the possibility of a return to heavy fighting and complicating mediation efforts to end
Iran鈥檚 state broadcaster confirmed the launches, and Iran closed its western airspace to brace for a possible response. Tehran had warned of retaliation after Israel struck Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs without warning earlier Sunday in defiance of Washington鈥檚 request days ago to stand down. Israel said the Iranian-backed fired at northern Israel earlier in the day.
“Should these acts of aggression be repeated, the responses will be broader in scope and will encompass all American and Zionist targets throughout the region,鈥� Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard said in a statement that referenced attacks in Lebanon and on Iran鈥檚 coast and vessels around the Strait of Hormuz.
Sirens sounded in several areas of Israel, sending millions running for shelter. Israel鈥檚 military said it intercepted the missiles, and multiple explosions were heard in the north. Less than an hour later, the military said people could leave areas reinforced against missile attacks.
鈥淚ran has made a grave mistake,鈥� Israel military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. The military’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said it will 鈥渟trike the enemy with determination as soon as the order is given.鈥�
But Israel鈥檚 public broadcaster, Kan, said told it that he doesn鈥檛 think Israel needs to respond further. And Trump told the Financial Times: 鈥淚 call all the shots. He (Netanyahu) doesn鈥檛 call the shots.鈥�
U.S. official: Netanyahu to hold off attack 鈥榝or the time being鈥�
A senior U.S. official said Trump had called Netanyahu to urge him not to retaliate immediately for the Iranian missile attack. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private phone call, said that Trump believed he had convinced Netanyahu to wait.
Trump 鈥済ot Bibi to hold off for the time being,鈥� the official said. The official would not offer any other details of the call, and there was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office.
Iran had warned that an attack on Beirut would renew full-scale war across the Mideast, even as Pakistan and other mediators try to restart talks between Tehran and Washington.
鈥淯.S. forces across the Middle East remain vigilant and ready,鈥� the U.S. Central Command posted on X shortly before the missile launches. The U.S. Embassy in Israel later directed employees and family members to shelter in place.
Israel鈥檚 attack on Beirut came a few days after the Lebanese and Israeli governments agreed to a ceasefire in U.S.-hosted talks, though Hezbollah rejected the deal. The strike on a residential building killed two people and wounded 20, Lebanon鈥檚 health ministry said.
鈥淭he army will continue to act in all of Lebanon,” the Israel military spokesperson said.
Israel鈥檚 strikes and ground invasion in in pursuit of Hezbollah, and the militant group鈥檚 resistance to disarming, have complicated an overall deal to end the war in the Middle East.
Iran says any deal must include an end to fighting in Lebanon.
Trump told a Fox News Channel reporter that he wanted the Iranians to stop firing missiles and return to the negotiating table. He also said that Israel鈥檚 strikes earlier Sunday were not coordinated with the U.S. and 鈥淚鈥檓 not happy about it.鈥�
Israel last week had announced it would strike the southern suburbs of Lebanon鈥檚 capital, but urgent talks via Washington halted that on the condition that Hezbollah stop targeting Israeli border towns.
Hezbollah, which claimed responsibility for firing at Israel earlier Sunday, wants the direct talks between Lebanon and Israel to end. Instead, it supports Iran鈥檚 stance that an overall ceasefire deal between Tehran and Washington include the situation in Lebanon.
, who seeks reelection later this year, is under heavy domestic pressure to respond to both Iran and the Hezbollah threat, which has paralyzed life for thousands of residents along Israel鈥檚 northern border.
But Trump has made clear he does not want to see the war resume.
Trump said earlier Sunday in an interview with NBC鈥檚 鈥淢eet the Press鈥� that he would like to see a 鈥渕ore surgical attack on Hezbollah.鈥� He also said he was 鈥渘ot demanding鈥� that Lebanon be part of an overall ceasefire deal in the Iran war.
Iran continues to assert its grip on the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. continues its blockade of Iranian ports, with shipments of oil, natural gas and fertilizer affected and the global economy in pain.
Iran since the ceasefire took effect has launched missiles and drones at Gulf nations and said it was targeting the U.S. military presence. After its launches against Israel, Iraq鈥檚 Civil Aviation Authority announced that the country鈥檚 airspace would close for 72 hours and Syria鈥檚 aviation authority announced a 12-hour airspace closure.
All flights from Tehran鈥檚 main international airport were suspended, the civil aviation authority said, according to the official Mizan news agency.
Diplomacy continues before and after missile launches
Pakistan鈥檚 interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, was in Tehran on Sunday delivering a message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei from Pakistan鈥檚 army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency. There were no details on the message’s contents.
Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was named the Islamic Republic鈥檚 ruler after his father was killed on Feb. 28 as Israeli and U.S. strikes sparked the war.
Pakistani authorities have said Islamabad, with support from regional countries including Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, is working to help bridge differences.
In Cairo, the Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministers discussed 鈥減roposed elements鈥� of a potential agreement between the U.S. and Iran, the Egyptian foreign ministry said, without details.
And after Iran’s missile launches at Israel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with counterparts in France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Egypt and Turkey as well as Pakistan鈥檚 army chief, Iran’s state TV said.
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Chehayeb reported from Beirut, Magdy from Cairo, Lidman from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Anna from Lowville, New York. Associated Press writers Hassan Ammar in Lebanon, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Matthew Lee in Washington, Abby Sewell in Beirut, and Michelle L. Price in Bridgewater, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
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