Israel struck Iran on Monday after being targeted by missiles, while a U. S. military base in Saudi Arabia came under fire in the most serious exchange of hostilities since an April ceasefire, raising the possibility of a return to heavy fighting and complicating mediation efforts to end the war. 

Iranian state television reported the sound of explosions being heard in Isfahan, Tabriz and Tehran, without immediately elaborating. 

Earlier, Iran had launched missiles at Israel in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, raising the possibility of a return to heavy fighting and complicating mediation efforts to end the war. 

Tehran had warned of retaliation after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs without warning earlier Sunday in defiance of Washington’s request days ago to stand down. Israel said the Iranian-backed Hezbollah fired at northern Israel earlier in the day.

Saudi Arabia sounded missile alert sirens Monday morning in an area home to an air base that hosts U.S. forces.

The Israeli strikes came in apparent defiance to President Donald Trump who urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he doesn’t think Israel needs to respond further.

Speaking to The Financial Times, U.S. President Donald Trump, before the Israeli strike on Iran, insisted he dictated terms to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on how the war should be prosecuted.

“He won’t have any choice,” Trump told the newspaper in a telephone interview. “I call the shots. I call all the shots. He (Netanyahu) doesn’t call the shots.” (AFP)