DUBAI, United Arab Emirate (AP) — Israel launched airstrikes early Monday targeting central and western Iran in response to missile fire from Tehran, attacks that threatened to drag the wider Middle East back into a regional war.

Israel said Sunday that Iran had launched missiles at it in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April. Tehran confirmed the strikes.

U.S. ⁠President ⁠Donald Trump ⁠on Wednesday said Tehran has ​taken too long to negotiate a ‌deal and would ‌now "have to pay the ⁠price" ⁠after Iran and the United States exchanged strikes ​in the region amid reported efforts to continue talks.

The downing of the helicopter and the return strikes by the U.S. military further strain the two-month ceasefire with Iran. While some fear that this escalation only delays a permanent end to the conflict,