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BBC
- June 8, 2026 08:21
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have carried out attacks on "several targets" at an Iranian petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, in the southwest of the country.
Both the IDF and Iranian state media have confirmed the attack. Iranian media reports that the complex, which is located near the northern coast of the Persian Gulf, was partially damaged.
Iranian media have announced that more information about the damage and "possible casualties" will be released later.
The Israeli strikes were carried out despite Benjamin Netanyahu being warned not to retaliate by US President Donald Trump, who was already angry that the Israeli prime minister had ignored his warnings not to attack Beirut.
Trump's concern is that Israel's actions could hinder ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran.
A US official, quoted by Axios News, said Trump had asked Netanyahu to wait, saying: "We are close to reaching something positive in terms of a deal."
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Iran attacks Israel and Gulf states even though Trump said talks are underway to end the war
According to reports, there was a particularly tense phone call between the two leaders last week. Trump has not denied reports that he raised his voice and used harsh language towards Netanyahu over the escalation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
Earlier, the US president told the Financial Times that Netanyahu would have to accept any deal the US would reach with Iran because, according to him, "there will be no other choice." Speaking of Netanyahu, Trump said: "I make all the decisions. He doesn't make the decisions."
Trump hinted that the US and Israel were very close to reaching an agreement. However, he has made this statement before, and so far no final agreement has been reached.
Iran suspends military operations against Israel
Photo: Illustration
Photo: Associated Press
Iran has announced that it has suspended military operations against Israel, but has warned that it will resume them if attacks continue, including in southern Lebanon.
"The powerful Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in support of the oppressed people of Lebanon, have given a painful response to this regime (Israel)," the Iranian military said in a statement quoted by the Tasnim news agency.
"If aggressions and hostile acts continue, including in southern Lebanon, much harsher and more destructive measures will be taken than before," the army said.
Iran and Israel exchanged missile strikes early Monday, which began when Tehran attacked parts of Israel.
Iran said it launched the attacks after Israel struck the outskirts of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Sunday, despite Washington warning Netanyahu not to do so.
Trump demands Israel and Iran "stop the attacks immediately"
Photo: Associated Press
US President Donald Trump has called for an immediate halt to retaliatory attacks between Iran and Israel, after clashes between the two countries jeopardized his fragile diplomatic efforts.
"Israel and Iran must immediately stop the 'attacks,'" Trump wrote early Monday on the Truth Social network.
And in another post later, Trump wrote that Israel and Iran are trying for a ceasefire.
"Both sides, Israel and Iran, are seeking an immediate ceasefire. Final negotiations for 'Peace' are continuing...The blockade will remain in place and in full force until a 'Final Deal' is reached. Things must move quickly," Trump wrote.
According to a US official, during a phone call on Sunday, Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from launching a retaliatory attack against Iran.
This call came at a time when the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran is raising concerns about a new escalation of the conflict in the region and is jeopardizing diplomatic efforts to maintain the ceasefire and reduce tensions.
Israel and Iran exchange attacks, risking dragging the region back into war
Photo: Associated Press
Israel and Iran exchanged missile attacks early Monday, in a series of retaliatory strikes that risked plunging the Middle East into a full-scale regional war.
Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels have also attacked Israel and warned they will target Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, further escalating tensions.
Israel carried out strikes in central and western Iran in the early hours of Monday in response to missile attacks from Tehran, while Iran responded with a wave of attacks. It was the first exchange of attacks between the two countries since a ceasefire was reached on April 8.
Explosions were heard across central Israel as air defense systems scrambled to intercept the Iranian missiles. Sirens were also heard across neighboring Jordan.
Iran has warned that the United States will be held responsible for any further escalation.
"No one believes that the Israeli regime would take any action without coordination with the United States," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said during a press conference in Tehran.
"The United States bears responsibility for the Israeli regime's aggression and will also be responsible for the consequences of any escalation of tensions," he added.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced that it has struck two military bases in Israel, describing the attacks as part of Operation "Nasr" (Victory). It said the missiles were launched after Israel struck radar stations in three areas of Iran.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it had targeted surface-to-air missile launchers mounted on trucks.
Tehran had warned of retaliation on Sunday after Israel struck the southern suburbs of Beirut without warning, defying Washington's demand for restraint.
Monday marks the 100th day of the war with Iran, which reportedly began on February 28, when Israel and the US assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as other senior Iranian leaders.
The war continued until April 8, when Iran and the United States reached a ceasefire. However, efforts to finally end the conflict have been hampered by Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade passes in peacetime, and by clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.
With global energy supplies still under threat and Iran still possessing a large stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and with the involvement of Houthi rebels in the fighting, the risk of war breaking out again on a large scale appears to be increasing.
Two regional officials said on Monday that intensive diplomatic efforts were underway to salvage a ceasefire between Iran and the United States after an exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran.
According to them, officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and Qatar have urged the US administration to pressure Israel to limit its attacks on Iran and Beirut. They have also called on Iranian officials to stop attacks on Israel.
Oil prices rise after Iran-Israel attacks
Oil prices continued to rise after Iran and Israel exchanged missile strikes for the first time since a ceasefire reached between the parties and the United States in April.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 4.5 percent to $97.30 a barrel. Meanwhile, U.S. crude rose 4.3 percent to around $94.50 a barrel.
According to Associate Professor Jiajia Yang from James Cook University in Australia, it is still too early to determine whether the attacks mark a full-scale escalation of the conflict, but traders are already calculating new risks for global oil markets.
The impact of the tensions was also reflected in Asian financial markets. Stock markets in Asia fell sharply on Monday, with major indexes, such as South Korea's Kospi, losing almost 8 percent of their value.
Analysts warn that any further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East could have significant consequences for global energy supplies and the stability of international markets.
