The Middle East was once again drawn into escalation as Israel and Iran exchanged tit-for-tat missile strikes, even as U.S. President Donald Trump said he remained hopeful about progress toward a deal with Tehran aimed at ending wider regional hostilities that have disrupted shipping routes and energy markets since February 28.
The latest round of clashes between Iran and Israel—their first direct confrontation in nearly two months of intermittent tensions during which the United States has pursued negotiations with Tehran—followed Israeli strikes in the outskirts of Beirut, which Israel said were part of its ongoing campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Iran subsequently launched a volley of missiles toward Israel, further escalating the confrontation.
The Israeli Air Force struck military targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran a short while ago.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 8, 2026
Before Israel’s retaliatory strikes, Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint, arguing that Washington and Tehran were close to reaching an agreement after weeks of indirect and uneven negotiations.
The crisis unfolded on the same day a Pakistani envoy was in Tehran carrying what was described as a “special message” for Iran’s leadership, part of broader diplomatic efforts to advance discussions on a potential U.S.-Iran understanding.
Some regional reports characterized the message as a warning tied to the urgency of the negotiations.
As tensions escalated, Israel launched airstrikes early Monday targeting central and western Iran in response to earlier Iranian missile fire.
Iranian state media reported explosions across multiple cities, including Isfahan, Karaj, Tabriz, and Tehran, with residents describing significant blasts, particularly west of the capital. Iranian authorities later suspended airspace operations around Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport.
However, officials have not confirmed specific targets, damage assessments, or casualties.
The Israeli military said it struck what it described as military targets in western and central Iran, without providing further operational detail.
Iranian state-linked sources, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed Israel used air-launched ballistic missiles, though these claims have not been independently verified and no further details were provided.
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
