Israeli Official: "Israel Is Halting Strikes in Iran, but We’ll Keep Hitting Lebanon"

Iran announced today (Monday) that it is stopping the military operations it had carried out against Israel, and declared that any further Israeli attack in Lebanon would lead to an even harsher response. The statement was published through the Iranian news agency Fars, which reported that "Iran’s armed forces announced the end of military operations against Israel."

According to a report by correspondent Yaron Avraham, a senior Israeli official said that "At Trump’s request, Israel is halting the strikes in Iran. The strikes in southern Lebanon will continue in the coming days at full force. We will also bomb Dahieh if the attacks on our communities and civilians continue."

Reuters reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone, though no details were given about the content of the conversation.

According to the statement released by the spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters, "Following the attacks and acts of aggression carried out by the Zionist entity in southern Lebanon and in the Dahieh area, with the support of the United States, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in support of the oppressed Lebanese people, carried out a painful response against the entity."

It was further stated that this was a "response from which the Zionist entity and its allies should have learned lessons and drawn moral conclusions." It then added: "Accordingly, notice is hereby given of the cessation of the armed forces’ operations, while emphasizing that in the event of continued attacks and acts of aggression, including in southern Lebanon, difficult, tough, and more decisive steps than before will be carried out."

Before the Iranian announcement, Trump addressed the developments and wrote on Truth Social that "Israel and Iran want an immediate ceasefire." Trump noted that "The final peace negotiations are moving forward, provided that stupidity or ignorance do not stand in the way."

Trump added that pressure on the sides would continue in the coming period as well, clarifying: "The siege will remain in effect, with full force and impact, until a 'final agreement' is reached. Things need to move quickly."