The war with Iran that began with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader on February 28 has two ceasefires – both of of them fragile and both newly at risk with Monday’s new dueling airstrikes.
A U.S.-Iranian ceasefire announced by Trump on April 7 has largely held, though there have been several attacks by each side.
Monday’s escalation comes after the U.S. president said on Sunday that new strikes by Israel and Iran would not affect his administration’s peace talks with Tehran.
He also said Netanyahu “doesn’t call the shots” – yet another comment pointing to strains in their relationship.
And despite a separate nominal ceasefire and warnings from Trump to stop its attacks in Lebanon to allow room for a deal to end the wider war with Iran, Israel has kept up attacks in its conflict with Hezbollah, Iran’s militant ally in Lebanon.
Israeli officials insist the country’s conflict with Hezbollah should be treated separately from any Iran ceasefire.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Sunday that strikes on Israel were a “warning” of a broader response that would target all Israel and its supporters in the region if “aggressions” are repeated.
In a televised statement on state TV, spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari said Israel’s military must halt attacks on southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Here is translation of his key comments in the above video:
“In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful, the Zionist aggressor regime, by repeatedly violating the ceasefire, is increasing its atrocities against the oppressed people of Lebanon day by day with the green light and support of the criminal United States of America…”
“The Zionist army must stop its attacks on southern Lebanon and the suburbs, and if it expands its attacks on that region or responds to Iran’s actions, it will face more crushing and regrettable blows, and destructive attacks will begin against the regime and its supporters. May Allah, the most wise, be victorious.”
The Israeli military has now confirmed that its air force struck several targets at the petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, in southwestern Iran.
It is the first hit on an energy infrastructure since Trump announced a ceasefire in April.
