Iran and Israel exchanged fire overnight in the most serious escalation since a U.S.-Iranian truce was reached in April. Iran launched a wave of missiles at northern Israel in retaliation for Israeli attacks near Beirut on Sunday. Israel responded with attacks on Iran, with explosions reported in Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan. This comes as peace talks appear stalled between the United States and Iran, largely over Iran’s insistence that any agreement must include Lebanon and halt Israel’s attacks on that country. President Donald Trump has also repeatedly expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and reports from NBC News and The New York Times indicate the Pentagon is growing increasingly concerned over Israel spying on U.S. officials.
“I was not surprised by the Iranian attack on Israel,” says analyst Trita Parsi, who notes that Iran’s leaders want to “extend their deterrence” to Lebanon. “What is perhaps a bit surprising is … that the Israelis defied Trump’s expressed wishes.”
Iranian authorities claim to have dismantled multiple spy and militant cells tied to foreign intelligence agencies, arresting more than 6,500 people since the war began. The announcement follows reports describing Mossad's largest-ever operation inside Iran and growing scrutiny of covert Western involvement
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Daniel Bessner, Derek Davison
There’s too much Knickerbocker news to fit here, but we do have other stories to report.
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