Iran pauses attacks on Israel after Trump calls on both sides to ‘cease fire’ – National
Iran’s military announced on Monday that its first wave of attacks on Israel since an April ceasefire had ended, although it threatened to resume strikes if Israel continued to attack Lebanon.
There was no immediate response from Israel, which began attacking Iran after Tehran fired missiles at Israel late Sunday. Iran said its strikes were in retaliation for Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Beirut.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump demanded that Israel and Iran “immediately stop ‘shooting’.”
The outbreak of the attack sent oil prices up nearly 4 percent and threatened to derail US-led efforts to broker an end to the war.
Israel has struck a petrochemical plant in southwestern Iran that it says was used to produce ballistic missiles. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it retaliated with a strike targeting the same Israeli base in the city of Haifa.
The first direct exchange between Israel and Iran since April could derail Trump’s efforts to end the war he launched with Israel at the end of February.
Iran’s military headquarters said it had “given a painful response” against Israel for its attacks on Lebanon, including Sunday’s strikes on the outskirts of Beirut.
“Therefore, military operations have been declared suspended; however, it is emphasized that if aggression and atrocities continue – including in southern Lebanon – more brutal and abusive actions than before will follow.
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In one of several social media posts, Trump said Israel and Iran both want a “FAST CONCLUSION immediately! Final ‘peaceful’ negotiations are underway, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in your way.” He also added that the US blockade of Iranian ports will continue until a final agreement is reached.
An Israeli official said Trump spoke Monday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Earlier on Monday an Israeli military official said Israel was prepared for a range of strikes against Iran, from a few days to “as long as it takes.” Israel hit Iranian air defense systems that were being rebuilt after previous Israeli attacks, as well as a petrochemical plant.
In the same vein, an Iranian military source quoted by Tasnim news agency said that Tehran is prepared for prolonged conflicts with Israel and renewed strikes against American interests in the region.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, said Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in a state of “grave suspicion.” Israel’s actions in Lebanon, whether they were carried out with the knowledge and consent of the US or not, were aimed at destroying the negotiations, he added.
“The United States is directly responsible for any action that the Zionist regime (Israel) takes in terms of violating the peace and security of the region against Iran,” he said.
Iranian media reported explosions in Tehran on Monday, and the Mehr news agency said the air defense had shot down a drone over the capital. There were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries.
Yemen’s Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have promised in a statement that they will stop an Israeli ship in the Red Sea, and that they have also fired missiles at Israel.
The Houthis have so far remained out of the regional war; they control the area at the mouth of the Red Sea, increasingly important as an alternative route to millions of barrels per day of Middle Eastern oil blocked by Iran’s hold on the Strait of Hormuz.
An Israeli military official said Iran had fired “about 30 missiles” at Israel since Sunday evening, and the Houthis two more missiles.
Israel said it had hit targets at the Mahshahr petrochemical facility, which is used to produce and export raw materials for Iran’s missile program. A provincial official told Iranian media that parts of the facility were damaged.
