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Missiles after Beirut strike
Iran launched missiles at Israel in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, according to AP News, after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs without warning earlier Sunday.
“Toggle Play Iran fires missiles at Israel after it attacked Beirut Videos show missiles over Israel as the Israeli military says Iran launched a new wave of attacks”
AP News reported that Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed the launches and that Iran closed its western airspace to brace for a possible response, while Israel said its military intercepted the missiles and multiple explosions were heard in the north.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that “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,” and Sirens sounded in several areas of Israel as millions ran for shelter.
The Guardian said the Lebanon health ministry reported Israel’s earlier strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut killed two people and wounded 20 others.
In the same escalation, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted the Israeli Ramat David Air Base with ballistic missiles, describing the operation as a “warning” after the Beirut suburb bombardment.
Trump, Iran and Israel trade threats
Donald Trump told Fox News that the Iranian missile launches were “certainly not going to help negotiations,” and he urged Iran to “Get back to the table and make a deal,” as NBC News described the U.S. monitoring the active situation between Iran and Israel.
NBC News reported that the U.S. military was monitoring the “active situation” and that “Thus far there has been no U.S. involvement in defending against this round of Iranian missiles,” while Israel’s military said it detected missiles launched from Iran and activated air defense systems to intercept them.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps framed the operation as a “warning,” and it said “If such aggressions are repeated, the responses will be broader and will cover all US-Zionist targets in the region,” according to RTE.ie.
Israel’s military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said “Iran has made a grave mistake,” while RTE.ie reported that Lt Gen Eyal Zamir said the IDF would strike Iran “with force” as soon as the green light was given.
The Guardian reported that Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf issued a threat to US bases and assets in the region, claiming the latest military action turned them into “legitimate targets.”
Airspace closures and what’s at risk
After Iran’s missile launches, Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority announced that the country’s airspace would close for 72 hours and Syria’s aviation authority announced a 12-hour airspace closure, while AP News also said Iran closed its western airspace to brace for a possible response.
“Israel says Iran launched missiles at it in first such bombardment since fragile ceasefire Israel says Iran launched missiles at it in first such bombardment since fragile ceasefire JERUSALEM (AP) — 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 the war”
AP News reported that all flights from Tehran’s main international airport were suspended, citing the civil aviation authority and the official Mizan news agency, as the U.S. Embassy in Israel directed employees and family members to shelter in place.
The Guardian said Israel’s military warned of a second barrage of missiles fired from Iran soon after the first, and it reported that Donald Trump told Fox News that “It’s certainly not going to help negotiations.”
NBC News said the heaviest fighting ended with a preliminary ceasefire on April 8 but the sides have not been able to agree on a long-term end to the war, and it described the missile strikes as threatening to unravel a recently renewed ceasefire.
NBC News added that Iran’s foreign ministry defended the strikes saying its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “exercised their inherent right of self defense” in striking “several military targets in the northern occupied Palestinian territories,” while warning that any further “adventurism” by Israel against Lebanon or Iran “will be met with a crushing and comprehensive response.”
