Israel has halted strikes on Iran at the request of US President Donald Trump, a senior Israeli official told Channel 12 on Monday.
The official warned that if Hezbollah attacks on Israeli towns continue, Israel will strike the southern suburbs of Beirut. Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon will continue at full strength in the coming days, the official added.
The announcement came after Israel and Iran exchanged missile fire in the worst escalation since a ceasefire took effect roughly two months ago. In the early hours of Monday, Israel struck Iranian air defences that were being restored after earlier fighting, with dozens of warplanes taking part in the operation, Israel’s military said.
Iran had fired missiles at Israel for the first time in two months. Iran’s military subsequently announced it had concluded its operations, but warned that if hostilities continue, its response would be more severe.
Trump said both sides want an immediate ceasefire but warned that the US blockade of Iranian ports would remain until a final deal is reached.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels also fired missiles at Israel, prompting sirens in the Tel Aviv area.
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