Israel Accepts U.S. Request to Halt Strikes on Iran Amid Continued Lebanon Operations
Israel has accepted a U.S. request to halt strikes on Iran while continuing operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, resulting in a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran that leaves both sides issuing threats of renewed escalation amid ongoing regional tensions. Iran suspended its military operation against Israel but warned it could resume if Israel continues strikes on Lebanon, heightening uncertainty about regional conflict spreading. [1] U.S. President Donald Trump urged both Israel and Iran to immediately stop firing and warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel risks isolation if the conflict expands into a wider regional war. [1] Netanyahu confirmed the ceasefire in a video message but stated that conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah are unresolved, threatening a harsh response to any new attacks. [2] Following the exchanges, both countries lifted domestic restrictions, with Israeli schools reopening and Iran and neighboring nations reopening airspace. [2] Houthi militants in Yemen, allied with Iran, claimed a rocket attack on Israel and a drone was intercepted over southern Israel. [2] Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran balances war and negotiation, viewing military pressure as part of diplomacy. [3]
Fragile Ceasefire Takes Hold
After mutual attacks, Israel and Iran have suspended direct strikes on each other, though both sides attached conditions that leave the pause vulnerable. Iran announced it had ended its military operation against Israel while warning that renewed Israeli strikes on Lebanon would trigger a return to action. [1] The decision by Israel to stop strikes on Iran followed a direct request from the U.S. administration, even as operations against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon continued without interruption. [1] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the ceasefire in a video message on Monday evening and stated that the disputes with Iran and the Hezbollah militia remain open. [2] Both countries warned of sharper military responses if the other side violates the terms, with Netanyahu declaring that any new attack from Iran would be met with full force. [2] The arrangement has been described as very fragile because of the ongoing threat from Iran to resume attacks if Israeli forces persist in Lebanon. [1]
Trump's Intervention and Warnings
U.S. President Donald Trump intervened directly after the weekend exchanges to press for an immediate halt. Trump stated that Israel and Iran must stop firing at once and confirmed he had spoken with Netanyahu to limit the scope of Israel's response. [3] In the phone conversation, Trump warned Netanyahu that expanding the attacks into a broader regional war could leave Israel isolated. [2] Trump noted that he had been informed of Israel's strikes on Iran at the last minute but had succeeded in containing the operation. [3] He also reported that Tehran had declared it would not launch another attack on Israel and called for both sides to return to negotiations. [3] Trump added that a comprehensive agreement with Iran remains possible and set a target of declaring full victory within two weeks. [3]
Netanyahu's Position on Hezbollah and Iran
Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had halted its strikes on Iran at the U.S. request while keeping operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon active. [1] In his video message, he accused Iran and Hezbollah of attempting to impose a new equation on Israel by firing from Lebanese and Iranian territory. [2] Netanyahu stated that the conflicts with both Iran and Hezbollah are not resolved and that any further attempt to attack Israel would be unacceptable. [2] Israeli media reported that Netanyahu accepted the U.S. request to stop the Iran strikes, while indicating that attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut's southern suburbs would continue if Hezbollah rocket fire on Israeli towns persists. [3] The Israeli military carried out strikes on strategic defense systems and a petrochemical facility in Iran before the pause took effect. [2]
Iran's Warnings and Diplomatic Stance
Iran's military leadership declared its operation against Israel concluded but warned that continued Israeli attacks, especially in southern Lebanon, would bring harsher and more destructive measures than before. [2] Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the missile strikes as a signal that Iran would not allow negotiations to be interrupted and emphasized that military pressure and diplomacy must be pursued together. [3] Ghalibaf stated that the country must fight when the time requires it and negotiate when the time requires it, adding that this balance allows Iran to defeat its adversaries. [3] He also condemned a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports as a war crime and said Iran would turn it into a new defeat for its enemies through national unity and military strength under the leader's command. [3]
Regional Incidents and Aftermath
Clashes continued in Lebanon even after the Iran-Israel pause, with Israeli air strikes reported in the south and Hezbollah claiming attacks on Israeli positions. [2] A Lebanese news agency reported that an Israeli strike on a vehicle killed at least five people. [2] The Houthi militia in Yemen, aligned with Iran, claimed responsibility for firing several rockets at Israel, marking its first direct attack since early April. [2] Israel's air force intercepted a drone from Yemen over the southern city of Eilat, declaring the incident closed. [2] After the attacks ended, Israel prepared to reopen schools, while Iran, Iraq, and Syria lifted flight restrictions and reopened their airspace. [2]
Broader Context on Palestinian Issue
Russia warned that Western-backed efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue without considering Arab states' positions are likely to fail and will not deliver lasting stability. [5] Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that alternative schemes linking Palestinian territories to neighboring Arab countries are dubious and have already been rejected by Palestinians and Arab states. [5] She said such proposals contradict U.N. resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the Madrid Principles, and reflect a neo-colonial approach. [5] Zakharova stressed that any sustainable settlement requires coordinated international and regional efforts that respect Arab positions, noting the comments come at a time when the Middle East faces pressure from recent tensions involving Iran and Israel. [5]
What to watch next: Observers will monitor whether Israeli operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon prompt Iran to resume direct attacks, and whether the two-week timeline cited by President Trump for a broader agreement with Iran produces further diplomatic movement.
