Web Desk: Iran and Israel exchanged missile and air strikes overnight, deepening regional tensions and sending global oil prices sharply higher, while both sides signaled the confrontation could intensify.
Mohsen Rezaee, a military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said Tehran had responded to what he described as Israeli violations of a ceasefire and continued attacks on Lebanon. Writing on social media platform X, he warned that further Israeli action would draw a “more crushing response” and impose heavier costs.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it fired ballistic missiles at Ramat David Air Base near the northern Israeli city of Haifa. The force described the base as a launch point for Israeli operations targeting southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Iranian state news agency IRNA carried a separate IRGC statement accusing Israel of striking targets inside Iran using air-launched ballistic missiles.
Explosions were heard in Tehran shortly after the exchange began, according to witnesses. Local media also reported blasts in the cities of Isfahan and Tabriz, signaling what appeared to be Israel’s response to Iranian missile launches earlier in the night.
Iran had launched 10 ballistic missiles toward northern Israel, according to regional reports. Israeli media said most of the projectiles were intercepted. However, Iranian officials have cautioned that any further Israeli retaliation would trigger additional waves of strikes, potentially involving more powerful missiles.
Lebanon remains central to the confrontation. Tehran framed its action as retaliation for Israeli attacks on areas including Beirut’s southern Dahiyeh district, which Iranian officials consider a red line.
The rapid exchange has raised fears that the tit-for-tat cycle could expand beyond the current theater. Analysts say the next moves by both governments will determine whether the conflict stabilizes or spirals into a broader war.
Energy markets reacted swiftly. Brent crude, the global benchmark, climbed 3.63% to $96.75 per barrel within an hour of reports of the strikes. U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose 3.35% to $93.89 per barrel.
Traders cited concerns over potential disruptions to supply routes and the risk of a wider regional conflict involving major oil producers.
Even as missiles flew, diplomatic efforts intensified. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a series of calls with mediators and regional counterparts, including officials in Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, France, Britain and Turkiye, according to regional sources.
The outreach suggested Tehran sought to frame its actions as limited retaliation while signaling openness to negotiations. Iranian officials indicated they considered Israel’s strikes on Beirut a threshold that required response but stopped short of declaring an expanded campaign.
The United States appears to play a decisive role in shaping the trajectory of the crisis. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly said a peace arrangement with Iran is within reach, while also warning that Tehran would face overwhelming U.S. force if talks fail.
In recent weeks, Trump has alternated between expressing confidence in diplomacy and signaling indifference to whether a deal materializes. Nevertheless, he has consistently maintained that an agreement is close.
Washington faces competing pressures: avoiding a broader war that could prove politically costly at home, while maintaining support for Israel’s security operations. The current exchange underscores the fragility of ceasefire efforts and the difficulty of containing hostilities once red lines are crossed.
For now, both sides appear poised for further action. With regional powers engaged in urgent diplomacy and markets on edge, the coming hours are likely to determine whether the confrontation subsides or deepens into a sustained conflict.
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