The reopening of Imam Khomeini International Airport marks the latest step toward restoring civilian air travel after authorities halted all incoming flights on Sunday in response to escalating regional security concerns.

“The deputy head of airport operation of Imam Khomeini Airport Company announced the resumption of flights to Imam Khomeini Airport and the flights of pilgrims,” Iran’s Mehr news agency reported.

The airport suspension followed Iranian missile strikes on Israel on Sunday. Israel subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes, prompting heightened security measures and disruptions to regional air traffic.

The reopening allows the return of Hajj pilgrims traveling from Saudi Arabia, an important seasonal movement of passengers as Muslims conclude the annual pilgrimage.

The closure was the latest operational interruption at Imam Khomeini International Airport, one of two airports serving the Iranian capital. The facility had only resumed activity in April after remaining shut for several weeks during the Middle East conflict.

The reopening underscores efforts by Iranian authorities to restore normal transportation links while regional tensions continue to affect aviation operations across the Middle East.

No further details were immediately provided regarding flight schedules or additional operational restrictions at the airport.

The latest exchange between Israel and Iran marked the first direct confrontation since a ceasefire took effect in April, raising concerns about a broader return to conflict across the Middle East.The escalation followed Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Iran responded with missile launches toward Israel, prompting calls from some Israeli officials for a forceful counterstrike.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged a severe response, declaring that Tehran should face immediate consequences following the missile attacks.Netanyahu defended Israel’s position by reiterating the country’s right to self-defense, arguing that no sovereign state could be expected to refrain from responding when civilian population centers are targeted by ballistic missiles.

Analysts said the Israeli response reflected both security considerations and domestic political pressures. Adi Bershadsky, a retired Israeli colonel and defense specialist, said it would have been difficult for any Israeli government to leave such an attack unanswered. He also suggested there may have been some level of understanding regarding how the confrontation would unfold.

The Israeli military said its chief of staff remained in close contact with his U.S. counterpart, signaling ongoing military coordination despite apparent differences in political priorities.Yaakov Katz of the Jewish People Policy Institute said Israel’s actions conveyed a message that while Trump may favor diplomatic arrangements with Iran, Israel retains the ability to act independently when it views its security interests as threatened.

Political considerations may also have influenced decision-making in Jerusalem. Israel is scheduled to hold national elections by the end of October, and analysts noted that Netanyahu’s political opponents could have criticized any perceived failure to respond to Iranian missile attacks.Michael Horowitz, a regional analyst, said no Israeli leader would likely have accepted a situation in which an Iranian strike went unanswered.

He described Netanyahu’s decision to proceed despite Washington’s preference for de-escalation as a political gamble.According to Horowitz, the move represented one of the most public instances in which Netanyahu appeared willing to diverge from Trump’s approach, even as both leaders remain closely linked through their joint military and strategic policies toward Iran.

The relationship carries political significance for both men. Since launching a coordinated offensive against Iran on February 28, the United States and Israel have shared responsibility for managing the fallout from the conflict while balancing domestic political pressures ahead of upcoming elections in both countries.

Anna Barsky, a commentator for Israeli newspaper Maariv, said the Israeli response carried risks because it could encourage additional Iranian attacks or trigger involvement from allied armed groups in the region. However, she argued that failing to respond to a direct missile strike would have established a precedent that many Israeli policymakers considered unacceptable.

Although both Iranian and Israeli leaders have signaled a desire to limit further escalation, tensions remain elevated. Israel has continued military operations in Lebanon despite warnings from Tehran that further attacks could provoke a stronger reaction.

The latest developments underscore Israel’s longstanding strategic challenge of maintaining close cooperation with Washington while preserving the ability to act unilaterally on national security matters, particularly when U.S. and Israeli assessments of regional risks diverge.

Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov said Russian forces struck the city of Chuguiv overnight, killing four people, including a 22-year-old woman, and causing extensive damage to residential areas.“The enemy has hit the city of Chuguiv,” Synegubov wrote on Telegram, adding that the attack sparked fires, damaged at least 18 vehicles and shattered windows in multi-story apartment buildings.

Separately, Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said 10 people were wounded in strikes on the regional capital, one of Ukraine’s most heavily targeted cities because of its proximity to the Russian border.The latest attacks come amid a sustained escalation in aerial warfare between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian missile and drone strikes have intensified in recent months, while Kyiv has expanded its own long-range drone operations against targets deep inside Russian territory, saying those attacks are primarily aimed at military and energy infrastructure supporting Moscow’s war effort.

Kharkiv region has remained a focal point of the conflict, with repeated attacks on civilian and industrial facilities despite international calls for greater protection of non-combatants.According to United Nations estimates published in April, at least 15,850 civilians have been killed in areas under Ukrainian control since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022. The UN said more than 2,800 civilians have also been killed in Russian-controlled territories.

The organization reported that more than 44,800 people have been wounded across Ukrainian-controlled and Russian-occupied areas since the start of the war.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has shown signs of easing military operations, with both sides continuing regular drone and missile attacks as fighting persists along multiple sectors of the front line.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio said the latest attacks underscored the urgency of finding a path toward ending the conflict, following a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“Every time you see these big strikes from one side or the other, it’s a reminder of why this is a terrible war,” Rubio said, adding that Washington remained willing to assist diplomatic efforts whenever an opportunity for progress emerged.

His remarks came after Russia launched a major attack on Kyiv and days after Moscow fired large numbers of drones and missiles at targets across Ukraine, attacks that Ukrainian authorities said killed at least four people over the weekend.

The renewed bombardment reflected a continuing escalation in hostilities as both sides intensify military operations more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia said on Monday it was prepared to carry out additional strikes against Kyiv, including what it described as the Ukrainian government’s “decision-making centers,” signaling that further attacks on the capital could follow.

The phone call between Rubio and Lavrov highlighted the limited but ongoing diplomatic contacts between the two countries. According to Russia’s foreign ministry, Lavrov urged the United States to remove diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Kyiv amid security concerns.

Rubio said Moscow had not singled out the United States and had instead issued a broader warning to foreign diplomatic missions operating in the Ukrainian capital.

“It was a notice sent to all the embassies,” Rubio told reporters.

The comments suggest Washington continues to balance support for Ukraine with efforts to preserve diplomatic communication with Moscow, even as prospects for a negotiated settlement remain uncertain and battlefield conditions continue to deteriorate.

The latest exchange between the two senior diplomats comes as the United States seeks to maintain engagement with both Kyiv and Moscow while monitoring the security risks posed by intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s major cities.

Authorities in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro said Russian forces launched missiles, drones and artillery strikes that killed two civilians and wounded six others.

Regional officials also reported additional casualties in the northeastern Sumy region and the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, where 13 more people, including three children, were injured.
Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of targeting civilian areas, allegations both sides deny.

At the same time, Ukrainian drone attacks struck several Russian regions overnight, targeting industrial zones and energy infrastructure that Kyiv views as critical to Moscow’s war financing capabilities.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defense systems intercepted 273 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight, according to state news agency TASS.

In Russia’s southern Stavropol region, Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said drones targeted industrial facilities near Nevinnomyssk, home to the large chemical producer Nevinnomyssky Azot, which has previously been attacked during the conflict.

Authorities in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region also reported drone activity near the city of Kstovo, where one of Lukoil’s major oil refineries is located.
Additional drone interceptions were reported over the Leningrad region, which hosts one of Russia’s largest oil export terminals and refinery complexes, as well as near Moscow and the Tula region south of the capital.

Regional officials in Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, said an ambulance driver was injured during attacks in the area.

Ukraine has intensified long-range drone operations against Russian oil infrastructure in recent months, seeking to disrupt fuel supplies and reduce energy export revenues that support Moscow’s military operations.

The latest strikes coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China, one of Russia’s largest energy customers and a key economic partner since Western sanctions intensified following the invasion of Ukraine.

The conflict has increasingly evolved into a war of attrition marked by missile barrages, drone warfare and attacks on strategic infrastructure far from the front lines.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said rescuers were still clearing debris and searching for survivors in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district after hours-long attacks overnight caused extensive destruction to apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure.

“Rescuers continue clearing the rubble and searching for people in the building in Darnytskyi district non-stop,” the emergency service said in a statement posted on Telegram, revising an earlier reported death toll of 16.

Images released by Ukrainian authorities showed burned vehicles, shattered residential buildings and emergency personnel working through debris in heavily damaged neighborhoods.

The latest strikes marked one of the deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent months as Russia continues intensified aerial bombardments targeting cities and infrastructure across Ukraine amid the prolonged conflict.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian areas during large-scale missile and drone assaults, while Russia maintains that its strikes are directed at military and strategic infrastructure.

The attacks came as fighting along multiple front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine remained intense, with both sides continuing long-range strikes deep beyond battlefield positions.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said the evacuation order was issued in response to what Israel described as repeated Hezbollah violations of the truce agreement that took effect in mid-April.“In light of the terrorist Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is compelled to act against it forcefully,” Adraee said in a statement posted on X.Residents were instructed to leave their homes and move at least 1,000 meters away from the affected villages into open areas for their safety, the statement said.

The warning came as fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group continued to intensify across southern Lebanon, with both sides exchanging fire almost daily despite the ceasefire arrangement.Earlier Saturday, the Israeli military said it had targeted more than 85 Hezbollah infrastructure sites over the previous 24 hours through aerial and ground operations.

According to the military, the strikes hit weapons storage facilities, missile launchers and structures allegedly used by Hezbollah to conduct attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.Israel also said it struck an underground Hezbollah weapons production facility in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley and targeted militants accused of conducting operations against Israeli troops deployed in southern Lebanon.

On Friday, Hezbollah announced missile and drone attacks against Israeli military bases in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and continued attacks in southern Lebanon.Lebanese authorities said Israeli strikes killed 11 people in southern Lebanon on Friday.

The latest escalation underscores the fragility of the ceasefire reached earlier this year after months of cross-border clashes that expanded alongside the broader regional conflict involving Israel, Iran and allied armed groups.

Israel and Lebanon remain formally at war, although indirect diplomatic efforts backed by international mediators have sought to prevent wider regional escalation.

According to the report, the satellite, identified as TEE-01B and developed by Earth Eye Co., was acquired in late 2024 by the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after being launched from China.

The newspaper said Iranian commanders directed the satellite to track key U.S. military installations, citing time-stamped coordinates, orbital analysis and imagery purportedly showing surveillance activity before and after missile and drone strikes carried out in March.

The report added that Iran gained access to satellite control infrastructure through Emposat, a Beijing-based firm operating commercial ground stations across multiple regions, enabling data transmission and operational support.China’s foreign ministry denied the allegations, saying in a statement that claims linking Beijing to the reported activities were fabricated.

“Recently, some forces have been keen on fabricating rumors and maliciously associating them to China,” the ministry said, adding that China “firmly opposes this kind of practice driven by ulterior motives.”Reuters could not independently verify the Financial Times report.

The development, if confirmed, would underscore the increasing role of commercial satellite capabilities in modern conflict, particularly in providing real-time intelligence for targeting and surveillance operations.

The Israeli military reported that multiple missiles were launched toward the country, triggering defensive responses. Emergency services said an unintercepted cluster missile caused damage to residential buildings and vehicles, while military radio reported shrapnel damage to a train station in Tel Aviv. No immediate casualties were reported.

The strikes are part of an escalating conflict that began more than a month ago following joint U.S.-Israeli military operations targeting Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran that have spread across the region.

Donald Trump reiterated warnings of intensified U.S. military action, stating that further strikes on Iranian infrastructure were imminent. His comments came amid ongoing exchanges between the two sides and rising concerns over the scope of the conflict.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said attacks on civilian infrastructure would not force Iran to concede, underscoring Tehran’s stance as hostilities continue.

The conflict has increasingly targeted economic and industrial assets, raising concerns over broader disruptions to global energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, has become a focal point after Iran moved to restrict maritime traffic.

Diplomatic efforts to address the situation remain uncertain, with a planned vote at the United Nations Security Council on authorizing protective measures for shipping recently postponed.

Iran has warned of further retaliatory measures, while U.S. officials have indicated that military operations could intensify if a negotiated settlement is not reached.

Air defense systems were activated following the first barrage, with police and emergency services responding to several locations in the Tel Aviv area.

Israeli media, citing medics, reported that four people sustained light injuries. Police said officers were deployed to multiple impact sites, with local reports indicating as many as nine locations affected.Israeli media said the spread of damage across a relatively wide area suggested the possible use of cluster munitions, which detonate mid-air and disperse smaller bomblets.

There was no immediate independent confirmation of the type of munitions used.Less than two hours after the initial attack, the military reported a second wave of missiles launched from Iran, triggering air raid sirens across large parts of northern and central Israel. In a subsequent statement, authorities said residents were permitted to leave protected shelters, indicating that the immediate threat had subsided.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage linked to the second barrage.The attacks follow a separate missile strike on Wednesday that injured 14 people, including a child, according to Israeli emergency services, as residents prepared for the Passover holiday.

The exchange underscores escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel, with both sides having previously accused each other of employing cluster munitions in the conflict.