Iran launched ballistic missiles at northern Israel and the central Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday night.
This escalation represents the first exchange of strikes between the two nations since the ceasefire in April 2024 [1]. The sudden return to hostilities threatens to destabilize the region and undermines previous diplomatic efforts to maintain a fragile peace.
Iran said the strikes were a response to Israeli actions. The missiles targeted areas in the north and the central West Bank, breaking a period of relative calm that had persisted for over two years [1].
The U.S. urged both nations to stop the exchange. Donald Trump said there should be an immediate end to the strikes as diplomatic pressure mounted to prevent a wider regional war.
Following the exchange, Iran announced it would halt strikes on Israel. However, some reports indicate that the halt is conditional. While some sources state the strikes have stopped, others say Iran warned it could resume attacks if Israel targets Lebanon [2].
Israeli officials and U.S. diplomats have been in contact to manage the fallout of the Sunday night barrage. The use of ballistic missiles highlights the ongoing volatility of the conflict and the limited effectiveness of the long-term ceasefire agreement [1].
“Iran launched ballistic missiles at northern Israel and the central Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday night.”
The resumption of direct hostilities between Iran and Israel suggests that the April 2024 ceasefire was a temporary pause rather than a sustainable resolution. By targeting both northern Israel and the West Bank, Iran has demonstrated its ability to bypass defensive perimeters, while the conditional nature of its ceasefire suggests that Lebanon remains a critical flashpoint for future escalation.
