West Asia finds itself on the verge of a full-blown war again after Israeli defence forces struck military targets in Iran early Monday in retaliation to Iran’s missile attack at Israel late Sunday. This fresh exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel is the first one since temporary ceasefire took place on April 8.
So far since Monday morning, Israeli forces have warned that a third barrage of missiles has been fired from Iran. Earlier in the day, Israel said that it hit a petrochemical plant in Iran’s Mahshahr.
Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen also said they fired missiles at Israel and have completely banned Israeli ships from navigating through the Red Sea.
“We declare a complete and total ban on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea,” said a statement by the Houthis.
“We consider all enemy movements to be legitimate military targets for our armed forces from the moment this statement is issued,” the statement added.
India issues advisory
The Indian embassy in Iran advised people on Monday to avoid travelling to Iran amid renewed strikes in the region. It also asked Indian nationals in Iran to leave the country by any available means of transport.
What triggered fresh tensions?
On Sunday, Iran struck Israel after Tehran warned of action over Netanyahu’s repeated attacks on Lebanon. The war between Lebanon and Israel has been a major front in the ongoing conflict with Israel continuing to attack it while Tehran has maintained that ceasefire there is key for a peace deal with the United States.
Earlier in the day, Israel took Lebanon capital Beirut’s southern suburbs with surprise with strikes with no prior warning, going against its ally US’ request to hold off fighting. According to Israel, before it struck Lebanon, Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters fired at Israel on Sunday itself.
Trump asked Israel not to strike back Iran
After Iran’s offensive on Sunday night, US President Donald Trump had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to not launch any retaliatory strikes and to let diplomacy take care of the situation, Axios reported citing a senior US official and an Israel source familiar with the development.
According to the senior US official, there was no “green light” by the US for the Israeli strike on Beirut on Sunday.
US-Iran peace deal close?
The US official also told Axios that during the call, Trump asked Netanyahu not to escalate the situation because they are “close to doing something good in terms of a deal”. However, Netanyahu pushed back to the request before “pseudo agreeing” to it, the official said.
“We think the president bought a little bit of time. He is pretty adamant that we are close to a deal with Iran. I don’t think anything is imminent in terms of an Israeli strike,” the official was quoted as saying.
