Live Updates: Iran says operations against Israel halted after Trump warning
Iran’s armed forces announced on Monday the end of its military operations against Israel after delivering what it described as a “painful response” to Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, which it said were carried out with the support of the United States.
In a statement cited by the semi-official Fars news agency, the army's Khatam Al-Anbiya central command warned, however, of a “much more severe” response if Israel continues its attacks against Iran and southern Lebanon.
Iran and Israel exchanged heavy fire on Monday following the resumption of hostilities between the two sides a day earlier, marking a serious escalation that threatens diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan between Tehran and Washington.
Iran fired a salvo of missiles at Israel on Sunday evening for the first time since an April ceasefire paused the war with the United States and Israel, in retaliation for an Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The Israeli military responded by conducting a series of airstrikes in western and central Iran, as well as in the capital, Tehran, in the early hours of Monday. Iranian state media reported strikes on a military site in Tabriz in the northwest and on the Karun Petrochemical Company in the southwest, forcing authorities to evacuate the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone.
Iran launched another wave of missiles at Israel in response, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming it had struck the Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases and industrial sites in Haifa.
The Iranian announcement comes after US President Donald Trump called on both Iran and Israel to immediately stop their attacks. “Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting,” he wrote on his Truth Social media account.
In another post, Trump said the two sides “are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE!”
“Final negotiations on ‘Peace’ are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way,” he wrote on his Truth Social network, adding that the United States will maintain its blockade on Iran until a “‘Final Deal’ is reached.”
“Things should move quickly,” he added.
The renewed hostilities threaten ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran. Iran has insisted that any ceasefire agreement must include Lebanon. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the United States bears responsibility for any Israeli violations or escalation in the region, stressing that the ceasefire in Lebanon is an inseparable part of the April 8 truce agreement.
However, Lebanese authorities maintain that any US-Iran talks are separate from Lebanon’s ongoing US-mediated negotiations with Israel.
In Lebanon, the situation in Beirut appeared relatively calm a day after Israel launched airstrikes on the southern suburbs, saying they were in retaliation for an earlier Hezbollah rocket attack on northern Israel.
However, Israeli airstrikes continued in southern Lebanon, with at least four people 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 town of Rashaf in the south.
Hezbollah and Israel have continued to exchange fire in recent days despite a conditional ceasefire announced after a fourth round of Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington last week, which was contingent on Hezbollah halting its attacks.