Israel-Iran Strikes
Israel confirms retaliatory strikes on Iran after earlier missile fire
Israel struck targets inside Iran early Monday, June 8, 2026 — the 100th day of the war — after Iran launched roughly 11 ballistic missiles at northern Israel the night before. The Israeli strikes hit sites near Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz, and Isfahan, marking a sharp return to full-scale conflict after a two-month ceasefire that began on April 8. IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin declared, "Iran has made a grave mistake when it chose terror once again."
The escalation pushed Brent crude oil up 3% to $96.29 per barrel, according to Associated Press. U.S. gas prices hit a national average of $4.24 per gallon — up 35% from a year ago. Missile alert sirens also sounded at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, which houses U.S. troops, shortly after the Israeli strikes.
Iran's Missile Barrage Breaks a Fragile Ceasefire
Iran fired the missiles on the evening of June 7 after Israel struck suspected Hezbollah positions in Beirut earlier that afternoon, killing at least two people. Iran's IRGC framed the barrage as a "defensive reaction" to what it called a ceasefire violation by Israel in Lebanon. Sirens blared across the Galilee region and parts of the West Bank. The IDF said it intercepted all incoming missiles with no casualties reported, according to Jerusalem Post.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said Iran's attack was designed to "deter future Israeli attacks against Hezbollah" while trying to avoid a full return to war. That calculation failed. Within hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized retaliatory strikes — hitting approximately 15 targets inside Iran — despite direct pressure from Washington to stand down.
Trump Says He Calls the Shots, Netanyahu Acts Anyway
Just before Israel struck, President Donald Trump told the Financial Times, "I call all the shots. He doesn't call the shots," referring to Netanyahu. Trump had been pressing Israel to hold off, hoping to protect ongoing nuclear talks with Iran that he said were "very close" to a deal, according to Associated Press.
Netanyahu ignored the request. His defiance created a visible rift in the U.S.-Israel alliance. Axios reporter Barak Ravid noted the escalation now threatens to "unravel U.S.–Iran negotiations" entirely. The IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, had warned earlier: "The IDF will strike the enemy with determination as soon as the order is given."
Oil Prices Spike as War Reaches Its 100th Day
The conflict started on February 28, 2026, when the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Iran has maintained a near-total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — the waterway through which roughly 20% of global oil passes. Commercial traffic through the strait fell by 94%, according to Daily Independent.
With Brent crude now near $100 per barrel, economists warn that any further Iranian restrictions on the strait could push prices to record highs. The human toll has also grown: 28 Israelis have been killed and 4,292 injured since the war began. The U.S. military has suffered 13 service members killed and more than 300 wounded at regional bases.
Conflict Spreads as Yemen and Lebanon Join the Fight
Yemen's Houthi rebels fired a missile at central Israel on Monday morning, showing the war is pulling in more players. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared U.S. bases across the region "legitimate targets," citing American support for Israel. The IRGC warned that continued strikes will trigger responses that "encompass all American and Zionist targets throughout the region," according to Hastings Tribune.
Pakistan stepped in as a mediator, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi traveling to Tehran on June 7 to deliver a letter from Pakistan's leadership to the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for de-escalation and confirmed Britain played no role in the latest strikes. Iran closed airspace around both of Tehran's major international airports following the Israeli attacks, according to Corsicana Daily Sun.
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