Iran and Israel have traded hefty attacks for the first time since a ceasefire took effect in April, with Iran firing rockets at Israel on Sunday evening and Israel retaliating, but less than 24 hours after the first Iranian attacks, the Islamic Republic said it would stop.
On Monday afternoon, Iran's military leadership declared its attacks against Israel over. In a statement broadcast by state radio, the military leadership said the Islamic Republic had delivered a "painful response" to Israel in support of Lebanon" and announced the cessation of its military operations.
US President Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social network, said both sides "are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations on 'Peace' are proceeding."
He said the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway for global oil exports, "will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a 'Final Deal' is reached. Things should move quickly."
Trump has often posted that a solution to the conflict was close at hand only to see it continue.
Israel and Iran trade heavy attacks
Following the Iranian attacks on Sunday evening against Israel, the Israeli military carried out what it called a "large-scale attack" against Iran. Dozens of Israeli fighter jets targeted "strategic defence systems" of Iran's leadership, it said. A petrochemical industry facility in south-west Iran was also attacked, it said.
Iran in turn responded with several waves of attacks. Sirens sounded in many places in northern, southern and central Israel. Residents were told to go to shelters. In the affected areas, media reported explosions as air defences tried to intercept incoming Iranian projectiles in mid-air.
Iran has fired more than 20 ballistic missiles towards Israel since Sunday evening so far, Israeli military sources said.
Iran justified its initial attacks on Sunday evening by citing "repeated violations" of the separately agreed - but so far extremely fragile - ceasefire in Lebanon by the Israeli military. Specifically, Iran said it was responding to Israeli strikes on suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Israel said it had targeted "terrorist headquarters" in response to shelling by Hezbollah. The Shiite militia is Iran's most important non-state ally.
Two fragile ceasefires
Israel and Lebanon agreed last Thursday on a renewed attempt to implement a ceasefire. One condition was that Hezbollah completely halt its attacks on Israel. The militia itself was not involved in the talks, flatly rejected the agreement and continued its attacks on Israel.
The Lebanese government is not a party to the conflict and has only very limited influence over Hezbollah.
In addition to the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, a ceasefire between the US and Iran has been in place since April 8, agreed more than a month after the US and Israel began their war against Iran on February 28.
US-Iran talks in jeopardy
Trump is seeking an agreement with Iran to end the conflict in the long term. The latest developments, however, are a major stress test for the talks. Trump has so far played down the consequences and said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also have to accept an agreement.
"I call all the shots. He doesn't call the shots," the US president was quoted as saying in a phone interview with the Financial Times, referring to the Israeli prime minister.
Trump reportedly also urged Netanyahu not to retaliate while appealing to Iran to return to the negotiating table and conclude an agreement, according to US broadcaster Fox News.
Netanyahu would also have "no choice" but to accept an agreement negotiated by the US with Iran, Trump said.
Israel prepared for longer war with Iran
Israel's military had braced for a conflict with Iran lasting at least several days. According to military sources, the country is working with the US to fend off Iranian rocket fire, but Israel's army is carrying out the attacks on targets in Iran alone.
Meanwhile, Israel continued its attacks in neighbouring Lebanon. The Israeli air force bombed several locations in the south, Lebanon's state agency NNA reported on Monday, with at least four people killed in the area around the city of Nabatiyeh.
Security sources told dpa the heavy shelling suggests the Israeli army is preparing for an advance on the city.
