Israel and Iran exchange strikes after Beirut attack, in photos

Israel says Iran has launched missiles at it in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, complicating mediation efforts for a deal to end the war. Tehran had warned of retaliation after Israel on Sunday struck Beirut’s southern suburbs 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. Israel’s attack on Beirut came a few days after the Lebanese and Israeli governments agreed to a ceasefire in U.S.-hosted talks, though Hezbollah rejected the deal. Iran wants any ceasefire deal to include the Lebanon situation.

The U.S. military launched airstrikes and Iran retaliated following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz that U.S. President Donald Trump blamed on the Islamic Republic. Iran launched attacks Wednesday morning in Bahrain and Kuwait, which both sounded alerts and fired air defenses in response. Iran also said it targeted an air base in Jordan hosting U.S. forces, which was not immediately acknowledged by American or Jordanian officials. The war that started Feb. 28 has shaken the global economy, and officials have been unable to turn the April ceasefire into a deal to permanently end the conflict.