Live Updates: Israel, Iran move toward de-escalation after US pressure
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to a ceasefire with Iran following pressure from US President Donald Trump after escalation with Iran threatened to upend diplomatic efforts toward ending the months-long conflict.
The New York Times cited two Israeli military sources as saying that Netanyahu agreed to halt strikes on Iran after a phone call with Trump.
Iran also appeared willing to de-escalate, announcing Monday that its military operations against Israel had concluded. However, the military warned of a "much more severe" response if Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon continue.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan cited an Israeli source as saying that while Israel would stop striking Iran, it would continue operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the reports.
The apparent de-escalation followed the most serious Iran-Israel fighting since an April ceasefire. Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, prompting Israeli airstrikes overnight on targets in Tehran as well as western and central Iran.
In a post on Truth Social Monday, Trump said that both sides were seeking an "immediate CEASEFIRE."
The renewed hostilities threatened ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran. Tehran has insisted that any ceasefire agreement must include Lebanon, and its Foreign Ministry said Monday that Washington bears responsibility for any Israeli violations or escalation in the region.
Lebanese authorities, however, maintain that US-Iran talks are separate from Lebanon's ongoing US-mediated negotiations with Israel. The two sides reached a conditional ceasefire last week after a fourth round of political talks in Washington.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes continued in southern Lebanon, where at least four people were reported killed on Monday. Hezbollah has not commented on the Iran-Israel exchanges. On Monday afternoon, the Iran-backed group claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on Israeli forces and military vehicles in the southern town of Rashaf.