Israel, Iran trade blows before ceasefire, but Hezbollah conflict could destabilize

Israel and Iran engaged in repeated military exchanges on Sunday night and Monday, shattering the April 7 ceasefire and raising fears of a return to full-blown war. The hostilities ceased only after US President Donald Trump intervened to impose a new truce late Monday afternoon.

Iran initiated the escalation by firing ballistic missiles toward Israel's north late Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded early Monday, announcing extensive strikes on Iran's newly installed air defense systems in Tehran and western Iran. These attacks further degraded Iran's air defenses, potentially allowing the Israeli air force greater freedom to operate within Iranian airspace should hostilities resume. However, IDF sources did not clarify why ballistic missile launchers were not targeted, which could have been a more direct method to curb Iran's missile fire.

The IDF had anticipated the conflict to last several days. By midday Monday, Iran had launched between 22 and 24 ballistic missiles in three salvos, while Yemen's Houthis fired two missiles, one of which fell short and the other was intercepted. All Iranian missiles were either shot down or failed to reach their targets. In response, Israeli fighter jets struck nine different Iranian air defense and radar systems, along with a petrochemical complex involved in producing ballistic missiles.

Amidst the exchanges, the IDF reported that its Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, had spoken with US Central Command Chief Adm. Brad Cooper multiple times. While the US military did not directly participate in attacks on Iran, coordination on defense efforts was ongoing. The situation remained tense, with Hezbollah and the IDF continuing clashes even after the new ceasefire was announced, casting uncertainty over the future stability of the region.