Explosions rocked Tehran and several other Iranian cities early Monday, according to Iranian state television, amid a sharp escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel.
State media reported blasts in Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan, while the Israeli military confirmed it had carried out airstrikes on what it described as “military targets” in western and central Iran. The strikes came after Iran launched missiles toward Israel for the first time since a fragile Middle East ceasefire was established.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also announced they had targeted what they called “terrorist groups” in Sulaymaniyah, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Tehran has long accused Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based there of serving Israeli and American interests.
Meanwhile, Israel said a missile had also been launched from Yemen toward its territory, prompting air defense systems to intercept the threat. No casualties were immediately reported. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly launched attacks on Israel since the regional conflict began.
The latest escalation marks a major blow to the already fragile truce after more than 100 days of conflict across the Middle East. Iran said its missile attacks were retaliation for recent Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, while Israel warned it was prepared to intensify military pressure across the region, including in Lebanon against Hezbollah.
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid further retaliation in order to preserve ongoing negotiations with Tehran aimed at reaching a broader agreement. Trump said recent Iranian attacks risked undermining diplomatic progress but insisted a deal could still be reached within days.
Iran has since closed airspace over the western part of the country, and flights at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport have been suspended indefinitely.
