Iran’s military has suspended its strikes against Israel but warned that hostilities could resume if the Israel Defense Forces continue attacks on Lebanon, according to Tehran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The announcement came just hours before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel’s conflict with Iran and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah movement “has not yet ended,” even as he argued that both adversaries had been significantly weakened.
The latest tensions followed an exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel on Sunday night, marking the first direct confrontation since Washington and Tehran agreed to a fragile ceasefire in mid-April.
Iran launched missiles toward northern Israel after accusing Jerusalem of repeatedly breaching the truce through strikes on Lebanon, including an attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday. Israel responded by saying it had carried out a “large-scale strike on strategic defense systems.”
Amid the renewed escalation, U.S.
President Donald Trump voiced optimism that both sides could still reach a ceasefire.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said Israel and Iran “are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE!”
“Final negotiations on ‘Peace’ are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way,” Trump wrote.
The U.S. president also said the American blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman would remain in force “until a ‘Final Deal’ is reached.”
“Things should move quickly,” Trump added, despite the conflict surpassing the 100-day mark on Sunday after he had initially predicted it would last between four and six weeks.
Earlier on Monday, Trump called on both countries to cease hostilities immediately, writing: “Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting.’”
In a telephone interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said Netanyahu “won’t have any choice” but to accept any agreement negotiated between Washington and Tehran, adding that “I call all the shots.”
However, comments from an Iranian official appeared to cast doubt on the prospects of a near-term agreement with the United States.
Speaking to MS on Sunday, the official said “a deal with President Trump is no longer feasible at this stage,” while blaming the U.S. president for developments in Lebanon and the latest escalation.
Meanwhile, oil prices retreated from earlier highs after surging by more than five per cent amid concerns over the conflict.
