On June 7, local time, reports from AP and the Financial Times indicated that Iran fired ballistic missiles at northern Israel. The Israeli military confirmed that it intercepted the missiles. Air raid sirens were activated across various locations in northern Israel, with reports of explosions in some areas.
This attack followed Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Beirut, Lebanon. Iran reportedly viewed Israel's actions as a violation of the ceasefire and responded accordingly.
This is the first instance of Iran attacking Israeli territory since the ceasefire on April 8. Since then, the U.S. and Iran have been engaged in negotiations over nuclear issues, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and sanctions relief. However, the recent escalation with Israel's airstrikes and Iran's missile launch has created uncertainty in the negotiation process.
President Donald Trump has sought to prevent further escalation. In a phone interview with Fox News, he urged Iran to stop its missile attacks and return to the negotiating table, stating, "This attack does not help negotiations." He also called on Israel to exercise restraint, noting that "no one was hurt in the Iranian attack" and expressing hope that Israel would refrain from retaliating. Trump mentioned that he would personally call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to urge against retaliation.
Trump maintained that a deal with Iran is close, asserting, "We are very close to a final agreement with Iran, and I do not want this to fall apart because of what is happening now."
The key issue remains whether Israel will retaliate. If Israel conducts further strikes, Iran would have justification for additional responses. Conversely, if both sides refrain from further attacks, the U.S. could manage this conflict as pressure to return to negotiations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.