Iran and Israel have halted their mutual military strikes in a bid to stabilize a fragile truce and salvage faltering negotiations aimed at ending the war initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv against Tehran in late February.
The halting of active hostilities comes amidst stark warnings from both adversaries, who have made it clear that any further aggressive maneuvers will trigger immediate and devastating retaliation.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Council (IRGC) announced on Monday that Tehran has concluded its military operations against Tel Aviv. However, the command issued a stern warning, declaring that Iran would launch far more severe strikes if Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon.
Simultaneously, Israel’s Channel 12 quoted an unnamed “senior” official stating that “Tel Aviv halted the strikes at Trump’s request.” The official nevertheless warned of potential bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh) should Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel persist.
The suspension of operations followed a public post by Trump on his platform, Truth Social, demanding that “Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting,’” published hours after both sides engaged in intense, direct military exchanges.
Trump’s intervention coincided with an announcement by the Israeli army that it had executed a series of airstrikes deep inside Iranian territory. These strikes targeted air defense systems, military installations, and a petrochemical complex in the southwestern city of Mahshahr—marking the first declared targeting of an Iranian energy facility since the April ceasefire took effect.
The Israeli military stated that dozens of fighter jets participated in the operation under the direct guidance of military intelligence. It added that the strikes “targeted air defense systems that Tehran is seeking to rebuild after previous attacks,” with the purpose of securing what it described as the “freedom of action for the Israeli Air Force inside Iranian airspace.”
In swift retaliation, the IRGC announced it responded to the Israeli strikes by launching a wave of missiles targeting a petrochemical facility in the northern city of Haifa.
The IRGC warned that Israel has embarked on a “dangerous game,” declaring that any continued targeting of energy and civil infrastructure in the region would carry dire consequences for the global economy, and held the United States fully responsible for these outcomes.
For its part, the Israeli occupation army reported detecting salvos of missiles launched from Iran toward Israel, claiming that its air defense systems intercepted most of them.
The Israeli strikes were carried out in retaliation for an Iranian attack on Sunday night, which the IRGC executed in response to the Israeli occupation army’s ongoing aggression against Lebanon.
The escalatory strikes occurred despite direct warnings from Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching strikes on Tehran, due to fears of disrupting negotiation efforts.
In remarks to the Financial Times, Trump downplayed the impact of the latest military flare-up on the prospects of a diplomatic breakthrough, asserting that the reciprocal strikes “will not affect the agreement,” before adding: “I am the one making the decisions, not Netanyahu.”
The latest round of hostilities occurs as ceasefire negotiations continue to falter. The talks encompass the future of Tehran’s nuclear program, the lifting of economic sanctions, and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, however, continues to condition any comprehensive regional settlement on the complete cessation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Confirming that diplomatic channels remain open, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the exchange of messages between Iran and the United States “has not stopped.” Baghaei affirmed that mediation efforts are active, noting that a recent visit by the Pakistani interior minister to Tehran was aimed at facilitating the continuation of these talks.
Prior to the announced suspension of strikes, the sudden military escalation sent shockwaves through global energy markets. Brent crude prices jumped by more than 3% during Monday’s trading session, surging past $96 per barrel as markets reacted to the threat of a wider war targeting vital regional energy infrastructure.
Ultimately, Trump remains eager to secure a deal that ends the conflict and prevents Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, while Tehran remains steadfast in its demands for the comprehensive lifting of sanctions and the formal recognition of its regional interests as part of any potential settlement.
