Iran launched nearly 30 ballistic missiles at northern Israel on June 7, shattering a cease-fire that had held since April and jolting global markets into risk-off mode. It’s the first direct Iranian strike on Israeli territory since the two countries agreed to stand down roughly two months ago.
The attack drew an immediate Israeli response: retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian military locations and petrochemical facilities across western and central Iran.
What happened and why it matters
Iran framed the missile barrage as retaliation for an Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah positions in the suburbs of Beirut. Tehran characterized that Israeli strike as a violation of the US-brokered truce, essentially arguing the cease-fire was already dead before the first Iranian missile left its launcher.
Israel intercepted most of the incoming projectiles. The regional ripple effects were immediate: Iraq and Syria both temporarily closed their airspaces as a precautionary measure.
