Capitals, June 8 (SANA) Israel and Iran exchanged strikes late Sunday and early Monday, raising fears of renewed regional escalation, as U.S. President Donald Trump urged Tehran to return to negotiations and called for efforts to prevent the situation from spiraling further.
Israeli authorities said two waves of Iranian missiles targeted the country overnight, while Iranian state media reported explosions in Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj and Tabriz following Israeli strikes on central and western Iran early Monday. Tehran subsequently closed the airspace around Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Iranian media reported an Israeli strike on a petrochemical facility in Mahshahr, in Khuzestan province, a claim later confirmed by the Israeli military.
The latest exchange followed Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday and occurred amid ongoing tensions involving Hezbollah and concerns over Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel also reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen, while Saudi Arabia briefly activated missile warning sirens in Al Kharj governorate before declaring the threat had passed.
Trump urged Iran to halt its actions and return to negotiations, according to Fox News.
Speaking to the U.S. news website Axios, Trump said: “We are very close to reaching a final agreement with Iran, and I do not want the situation to spiral out of control because of what is happening now.”
Trump said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone and expressed hope that Israel would refrain from further military action, noting that the Iranian strikes had not caused any casualties.
Air traffic across the Gulf region has experienced significant disruption in recent days, with numerous flight suspensions and rerouted services amid the regional conflict. The situation has led to airspace closures, the cancellation and delay of thousands of flights, and substantial financial losses for airlines.
The conflict began on Feb. 28 and was followed by a ceasefire on April 8, but the latest hostilities have renewed concerns over regional stability and global energy supplies.
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