Israel and Iran intensify attacks as Europe tries to stem a regional war.

BeirutIsrael and Iran exchanged fire again this Friday in one of the most intense episodes since the current escalation began. During the early hours of the morning, more than twenty ballistic missiles launched from Iranian territory hit several areas in southern and central Israel, leaving at least 21 injured in Haifa and another four in Beersheba.

The Israeli response was swift. At around 4:00 a.m., 60 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fighter jets crossed Jordanian airspace toward Iranian targets in the regions of Arak, Natanz, Fordow, Qazvin, and Rasht. According to military sources, the bombings targeted nuclear program infrastructure and command centers associated with the Iranian Ministry of Defense and the SPND, the covert agency that oversees the most sensitive aspects of atomic development. Missile and drone warehouses were also attacked, some of them hidden beneath industrial zones. Iranian media have confirmed more than 100 deaths, although Western sources put the figure much higher and highlight that several top scientists may have died as a result of the attacks. The Israeli air operations were preceded by covert drone sabotage, allegedly the work of the Mossad, which disabled part of Iran's anti-aircraft defenses hours before the bombing.

In parallel to the military front, international diplomacy is desperately trying to contain the conflict. This Friday, in Brussels and Geneva, foreign ministers of the European Union and the United Kingdom met with their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in an attempt to explore avenues for de-escalation. The European offer includes a halt to the bombings in exchange for an immediate moratorium on Iran's advanced uranium enrichment and acceptance of immediate inspections of the nuclear program. the Fordow nuclear facilitiesIran, for its part, has shown partial willingness, but demands firm guarantees and accuses Israel of violating international law by attacking nuclear facilities without prior direct provocation. Araghchi's entourage insists that "any solution must begin with a complete cessation of Israeli aggression."

From Washington, President Donald Trump has announced that he will make a decision "in two weeks" on possible military action against Iran if negotiations do not produce concrete results. Although the tone of his statement was ambiguous, the reference to Fordow, one of the facilities bombed early this morning, was interpreted as a direct warning. The United States has not intervened directly in the conflict, but has offered logistical and intelligence assistance to Israel and has reinforced its military presence in the Gulf.

The Lebanese front is reactivated

On Israel's northern front, tensions have also risen again. Israeli drones launched a series of attacks in southern Lebanon, killing Yassin Abdel Moneim Ezzedine, a senior artillery commander linked to Hezbollah, along with another operational leader in the Nabatieh area. The operation was followed by a statement from Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee, who warned that Hezbollah "is actively rebuilding its logistical and operational capabilities in civilian areas" and that Israel "will not allow a reactivation of the Lebanese front without responding." In the last few hours of Friday, Israeli aircraft carried out more than twelve aerial bombardments in southern Lebanon in just fifteen minutes.

The situation is also worrying European diplomacy, which fears a simultaneous expansion of the conflict on multiple fronts. In Brussels, they pointed out that southern Lebanon could become the regional flashpoint if it cannot be contained in time. The United Nations, for its part, has called on the parties to "refrain from attacks on civilian infrastructure" and has recalled that Soroka Hospital, attacked this Thursday, is under the protection of international humanitarian law.

Amid the crossfire, fears of a major incident are growing. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned of serious nuclear risks if attacks continue near the Bushehr, Arak, or Fordow plants. The IAEA has warned of possible radioactive leaks that could cross borders and pose a global threat.

With ten days until the deadline set by Trump, Europe is accelerating a final diplomatic maneuver to stem the escalation. Everything will depend on the Iranian response and on ensuring that the conflict does not spill over from Lebanon.