A dangerous new escalation between Iran and Israel appeared to ease on Monday after both countries announced they were halting attacks following public pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The crisis erupted when Iran launched missile attacks against Israel after Israeli strikes linked to Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Israel responded with military operations against Iranian targets, marking the first direct exchange of fire between the two countries since the April ceasefire agreement.
As fears grew that the conflict could spiral into a wider regional war, Trump publicly demanded that both sides stop "shooting" and said final peace negotiations were still underway. Shortly afterward, Iranian military officials announced that offensive operations had ended, while Israeli media reported that Israel had also paused further strikes.
Despite the apparent de-escalation, tensions remain extremely high. Iranian officials warned that any new Israeli attacks could trigger another response, while diplomatic efforts continue to prevent the collapse of the fragile ceasefire. Analysts say the latest confrontation highlights how quickly the region could return to full-scale conflict if negotiations fail.