Here's the latest
• War escalates: Israel and Iran are trading strikes in the worst escalation since the April truce — a major test for negotiations. Israel also said it intercepted a missile from Yemen, home to the Iran-backed Houthis.
• On the ground: Israel is defending against a fresh attack, with CNN’s Oren Liebermann hearing interceptions over Jerusalem. Israel previously said it struck targets in Iran after intercepting Iranian missiles. Iran, meanwhile, said it was retaliating against Israeli strikes on Beirut.
• Trump warns Israel: The US president told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on retaliating against Iran, according to a US official. Before the escalation, Trump told Fox News he was “not happy” about the strikes on the Lebanese capital. Trump also told The Financial Times that Israel would have to accept any deal the US reaches with Iran, saying “I call all the shots.”
Israel strikes petrochemical plant in Iran
Israel launched an aerial attack on a petrochemical plant in Iran, damaging part of the facility, reported the semi-official Fars news agency on Monday, citing an official.
The Karun Petrochemical Company, in the southwestern city of Bandar-e Mahshar, was hit by Israeli projectiles, a regional deputy governor for security affairs said, according to Fars news agency.
Israel Defense Forces said in a post on X that its air force “struck several targets” at the complex.
What to know about Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebel group
The Israeli military said Monday it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen — the first such incident reported since April.
Yemen is home to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have frequently fired missiles and drones at Israel, both during the war in Gaza and the war with Iran.
Who they are
The Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), is one side of the Yemeni civil war. It emerged in the 1990s, when its leader, Hussein al-Houthi, launched “Believing Youth,” a religious revival movement for a centuries-old subsect of Shia Islam called Zaidism.
The Zaidis ruled Yemen for centuries but were marginalized under the Sunni regime that came to power after the 1962 civil war. Al-Houthi’s movement was founded to represent Zaidis and resist radical Sunnism, particularly Wahhabi ideas from Saudi Arabia. His closest followers became known as Houthis.
Yemen’s civil war began in 2014, when Houthi forces stormed the capital Sanaa and toppled the internationally recognized and Saudi-backed government. The conflict spiraled into a wider war in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in an attempt to beat back the Houthis.
A ceasefire was signed in 2022, but it lapsed just after six months. Warring parties have not, however, returned to full-scale conflict.
Houthis’ allies
Iran began increasing its aid to the Houthis in 2014 as the civil war escalated and as its rivalry with Saudi Arabia intensified.
The Houthis form part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance” — an anti-Israel and anti-Western alliance of regional militias backed by the Islamic Republic.
Timeline of key attacks since the war began
Over 100 days have passed since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, sparking the start of a regional conflict in the Middle East.
A look at key moments:
- February 28: The US and Israel launch strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. An elementary school in Iran is hit, killing 168 children. CNN assessed that it was the US that had likely hit the school. The first retaliatory attacks hit Israel on the same day.
- March 1: The first US service members die in the conflict.
- March 2: Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fires missiles towards Israel, saying it’s to avenge the killing of Khamenei.
- March 8: Iran names Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as supreme leader.
- March 17: Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani, who held a core position within the regime, is killed in an Israeli strike.
- March 28: Iran-backed Houthi rebels enter the conflict, firing missiles toward Israel from Yemen.
- April 3: Iran shoots down a US fighter jet. One of the two crew members is rescued more than a day later in Iranian territory.
- April 7: US President Donald Trump announces a ceasefire.
- April 10: Delegations from the US and Iran meet in Pakistan. Following all-night negotiations, Vice President JD Vance says no agreement was reached.
- April 12: The US military says it will enforce a blockade on all traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.
- May 3: Trump announces “Project Freedom,” in which the US plans to “guide” ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Soon after, the US and Iranian militaries trade shots and accusations.
- May 5: Trump says “Project Freedom” will be paused, claiming “great progress” had been made towards an agreement with Iran.
- May 31: The Israeli military announces its capture of the Crusader-era Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders troops to deepen Israel’s incursion into Lebanese territory.
- June 3: US and Iran trade strikes, with Iranian missiles and drones launched at Kuwait.
- June 7: Iran and Israel exchange fire in the biggest escalation of strikes since the ceasefire, after Trump told Netanyahu not to retaliate.
Israeli military says it identified a new wave of missiles launched from Iran toward Israel
The Israeli military said it identified a new wave of missiles launched from Iran toward Israel.
“Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the IDF said.
It comes after Iran and Israel traded attacks earlier Monday.
CNN’s Oren Liebermann in Jerusalem reported hearing interceptions over the city.
Israel’s emergency services said it was heading to a site in the occupied West Bank.
“EMTs and paramedics were dispatched to scan a scene in the Judea and Samaria region. Additional MDA teams were sent to treat several individuals who were injured while making their way to protected areas,” a spokesperson from Magen David Adom said.
“At this stage, no casualties are known,” the spokesperson said.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Asian markets tumble on Middle East tensions — and renewed AI bubble fears
Asian markets plunged on Monday following US stock rout driven by renewed AI bubble concerns and as Israel and Iran traded the worst exchange of fire since the shaky ceasefire began in April.
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index led the plunge, at one point bleeding nearly 9%, before paring some losses to 4.92% lower by 1:14 pm local time. AI and tech stocks drove the sell-off, with memory chipmakers Samsung and SK Hynix shedding 5.7% and 2.7% respectively.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index slid 3.75%, and Taiwan’s Taiex fell 3.47%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 1.18%, while China’s Shanghai Composite Index was down 1.26%.
Last Friday, tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 4.18%, its worst day since April 2025, while S&P 500 dropped 2.64%, its worst day since October.
The sell-off was set off by a combination of factors, including AI and tech giant Broadcom’s disappointing earnings guidance, and expectation-beating US job reports that could prompt a rate hike later this year and hurt tech stocks.
Now the new trading week has begun as tensions in the Middle East explode once more, dampening hopes for soon ending a conflict that has sparked one of the worst oil crises in history, and hit import-dependent Asian economies particularly hard.
Israel struck missile launch sites in Iran and non-energy infrastructure, ambassador says
The Israeli military struck Iranian surface-to-surface missile launch sites and infrastructure not related to the energy sector, according to Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, after Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel.
Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was carrying out strikes against what it described as military targets in central and western Iran. Explosions were reported in several Iranian cities.
Israel and Iran trade strikes as conflict escalates. Here's the latest
Israel and Iran have exchanged strikes in the worst escalation of the conflict since early April, according to local media and officials.
Early Monday, Israeli military said it had struck military targets in Iran after it intercepted missiles from Tehran Sunday.
Israel’s response comes despite warnings from US President Donald Trump and a senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, who both urged initial restraint.
Here’s what we know:
- Israel targets Iran: The Israel Defense Forces said early Monday it struck military targets in the western and central region of Iran. Explosions were heard in several Iranian cities, according to state media. The Israeli military reportedly used “air-launched ballistic missiles” in the attack, the IRGC said. Israel’s attack followed Iran’s launch of missiles at Israel on Sunday — the first such attack since the early April ceasefire.
- Missile from Yemen: Israel said it intercepted a missile from Yemen in the first such incident reported since April. Yemen is home to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
- Iran’s threat over waterway: Ali Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, earlier said Tehran could block Bab al-Mandab, another vital maritime corridor in the Middle East, if Israel escalated the conflict.
- Trump warned Netanyahu: US President Donald Trump had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on launching a retaliatory attack on Iran, according to a US official. He had also told Iran to “get back” to the negotiating table.
- In the region: Iran targeted what its military described as “terrorist groups” in Iraq, the semi-official Mehr News said. Meanwhile in Jordan, missiles breached its airspace, Minister of Government Communication Mohammad H Al-Momani said. His statement did not indicate who had fired the missiles.
CNN’s Kelly McCleary, Tamar Michaelis and Maureen Chowdhury contributed to this report.
Israel says it intercepted a missile from Yemen
Sirens sounded across Israel Monday morning when its military said it detected a missile launched from Yemen — the first such incident reported since April.
“Aerial defense systems are operating to intercept the threat,” Israel Defense Forces said on X, confirming shortly after that the missile was successfully intercepted.
It is the first time a missile has been fired from Yemen at Israel since April 4.
Yemen is home to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who have frequently fired missiles and drones at Israel both during the war in Gaza and in the opening weeks of the US and Israel led war with Iran.
The movement has previously disrupted shipping lanes in the region, including attacking vessels in the Red Sea. Iran has warned it would use its proxy forces to escalate attacks across the region if Israel carried out attacks.
CNN reports from Tehran as Israel confirms it has struck targets inside Iran
CNN’s Fred Pleitgen is reporting from Tehran as Israel confirms it struck multiple targets in Iran.
The latest exchange of fire between Iran and Israel marks the most significant military escalation since ceasefire began in early April.
CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government but maintains full editorial control of its reports.
What to know about Bab al-Mandab, a crucial waterway that Iran is threatening to block
Iranian state-run media reported on Sunday that Tehran is threatening to block Bab al-Mandab, another vital maritime corridor in the Middle East, if Israel escalates its attack, citing a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader.
Bab al-Mandab is located at the southern end of the Red Sea and is a critical gateway to the Suez Canal, linking Europe and Asia through one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Just 29 kilometers (18 miles) across at its narrowest point, it is where ships have previously come under attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
In late 2023, Houthi militants began attacking commercial vessels passing through the strait in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza. The attacks prompted shipping companies to use a longer route, adding weeks onto journeys and forcing them to spend more on fuel, insurance, and seafarers’ wages.
Nearly 15% of global maritime trade passes Bab al-Mandab. The previous disruptions to shipping between 2023 and 2025 probably cost some $20 billion a year, according to industry estimates.
The strait has, however, remained largely navigable throughout the current war, preserving a critical export route for Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.
Explosions heard in at least three Iranian cities, Iran's revolutionary guards say
The sounds of explosions have been reported in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, according to state media.
The Israeli military reportedly used “air-launched ballistic missiles” in the attack, the IRGC said.
Iranian state-media IRNA later said an attack on Najafabad in Isfahan Province, “caused no casualties.”
This post has been updated with further information.
Israeli military says it struck targets in Iran, explosions reported
The Israel Defense Forces said early Monday it has struck military targets in the western and central region of Iran. No further details were immediately available.
It comes after President Donald Trump on Sunday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call to hold off on launching a retaliatory attack on Iran, according to a US official. He also told The Financial Times that Netanyahu would have to accept any deal the US reaches with Iran because the Israeli prime minister “doesn’t call the shots.”
Several loud blasts were heard in Tehran, according to state-run Mehr News. Explosions were also reported in Tabriz and Isfahan, reported state-run IRIB.
Meanwhile in Iran, Tehran threatened to block Bab al-Mandab, another vital maritime corridor in the Middle East, if Israel escalates its attack, a senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader said, state-run media reported Sunday.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Iran's military said it targeted "terrorist groups" in Iraq
Iran has targeted what its military described as “terrorist groups” in Iraq, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News said Monday.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted the so-called terrorist headquarters in Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq, the outlet said on Telegram.
Sulaymaniyah is located in the Kurdish region of Iraq, just west of the Iranian border.
Iran threatens to block another maritime chokepoint if Israel further escalates attack
Iran has threatened to block another vital maritime corridor in the Middle East if Israel escalates its attack, a senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader said, Iranian state-run media reported Sunday.
Ali Velayati warned Iran could block the Bab al-Mandab Strait after Israel threatened to deliver a “powerful” response to a wave of missiles it says was fired from Tehran – the first such strikes since early April.
Located between Yemen and Djibouti and Eritrea, the strait is another vital artery connecting major trade routes between Europe, Asia and the Arab world.
“The current security situation in Bab al-Mandab should not lead the enemy into miscalculation,” Velayati told Iranian satellite channel Press TV.
“The choice is yours: stop this foolishness or enter a balanced equation for disciplining the two straits.”
By activating its regional proxy, the Houthis in Yemen, Iran could orchestrate the closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Such a move would compound the worldwide economic pressure.
Trump told Netanyahu in phone call to hold off on retaliatory strikes
President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call Sunday to hold off on launching a retaliatory attack on Iran, according to a US official, in the hopes of salvaging increasingly fragile attempts at diplomacy.
Trump warned Netanyahu against escalating already-soaring tensions in the region, the official said, and stressed his belief that a deal with Iran was near.
The call came after the Israeli military said it intercepted waves of missiles fired from Iran for the first time since early April.
While Trump and Netanyahu held a fiery call last week, Sunday’s conversation did not similarly devolve into expletives, officials said.
Ahead of the conversation, Trump had signaled his views in calls with reporters, meaning his message to Netanyahu was unlikely to have been a surprise to the prime minister.
Air raid sirens activated in Jordan as missiles breach airspace, minister says
Missiles breached Jordan’s airspace on Sunday evening, Minister of Government Communication Mohammad H Al-Momani said.
In a post on X, he added that air raid sirens were activated and that Jordan’s armed forces were monitoring developments. The statement did not indicate who had fired the missiles.
The US Embassy in Jordan also issued a country-wide warning Sunday that “reports indicate missiles, drones, or rockets are in Jordanian airspace.”
The embassy told people to seek cover, shelter in place immediately, and monitor local announcements.
100 days in: Trump administration repeatedly vowed war's end is near
The Trump administration projected the US-Iran war would be over in weeks shortly after it began February 28, but it has now stretched to 100 days.
Read reflections from CNN reporters.
The Trump administration projected the US-Iran war would be over in weeks shortly after it began February 28, but it has now stretched to 100 days.
After ballistic missile attack, some Israeli politicians criticize Netanyahu
After Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel, some Israeli politicians criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for responding with force to Iran.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is challenging Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, called this “a moment of truth.” In a statement on X, Bennett said Israel must show it is a “sovereign state capable of defending itself.”
“Israel must act forcefully and effectively,” Bennett said. His statement comes after reports that President Donald Trump would not allow Israel to retaliate against the ballistic missiles barrages.
Far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir said in a short statement on X, “Tonight Tehran must burn.” So far, Ben Gvir is one of the few government ministers to make a statement, which was issued shortly after the first warnings of incoming Iranian missiles.
Meanwhile, Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Democrats party, said Israel’s enemies had recognized that “Netanyahu is a weak and failed leader.” Golan said the government under Netanyahu lacks “the authority to drag Israel into another war.” He called for voters to vote out this government in the upcoming elections, which will take place in September or October.
Iran shows missiles emblazoned with messages referencing Epstein used to strike Israel
Iranian media outlets have published video appearing to show ballistic missiles carrying messages referencing Jeffrey Epstein before launches targeting Israel.
One message described the conflict with Israel as a fight against the “corrupt people of Epstein Island” and included religious references to Jesus and Moses.
The words written on the missile in Farsi and English shown by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News, read in part: “We are fighting a criminal gang. The corrupt people of Epstein Island. We will not compromise on the security of our people.”
The messages appeared to draw on Epstein conspiracy theories circulating online.
The Epstein references on the Iranian weapons are the latest sign in how online memes and trolling have become an integral part of the conflict. Since the war began, both sides have sought to shape narratives far beyond the battlefield, flooding social media with videos, graphics and viral content aimed at online audiences. Iran has often been credited with punching above its weight online, including against a social media-savvy US president.
Messages written on bombs and military shells have a long tradition in conflicts around the world, often used as tools for propaganda, psychological warfare and to boost morale. Iran appears to be combining that practice with internet culture and conspiracy narratives, turning the weapons themselves into online content to be used in memes.
CNN is unable to independently verify the videos of the missiles and it was not immediately clear if the missiles shown were among those fired at Israel on Sunday.
Trump says Netanyahu "won’t have any choice" but to accept an Iran deal
US President Donald Trump said Benjamin Netanyahu would have to accept any deal the US reaches with Iran because the Israeli prime minister “doesn’t call the shots.”
“I call the shots. I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn’t call the shots,” Trump told The Financial Times on Sunday.
“He won’t have any choice,” the president said.
Trump insisted Iran’s Sunday night missile attack on Israel is “not going to have any impact on the deal.”
“We’ll see how it ends up. But they were attacks that did not kick at all. It’s one of those things that’s been going for 3,000 years, or 47 years, depending on how you count,” he said.
Some context: Trump’s remarks about the Israeli leader come after the US president said last week that he was “perturbed” with Netanyahu over Israel’s plans for military operations in Lebanon as the US was working toward a peace agreement with Iran.
Netanyahu was highly critical of the Iran nuclear deal reached by former President Barack Obama, telling the UN in 2015 that the agreement only rewarded Iran’s “bad behavior.”
