Iran and Israel have halted mutual missile and drone attacks which were launched overnight, the first exchanged strikes since a ceasefire started in early April.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran announced on Monday afternoon, June 8, that it was halting attacks, but warned that they would resume if Israel carried out further acts of “aggression and hostility”, including in southern Lebanon.
A little later, Israeli media reported that the military would refrain from strikes on Iran at the request of United States President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks had been halted after Israel “hit the terror regime in Tehran.”
However, he insisted that the Israeli military would continue to operate against Iran-linked Hezbollah in Lebanon, and threatened that if Iran “makes the mistake and returns to attacking us, we will respond with force.”
The latest exchange of fire, and the subsequent sabre-rattling on both sides, has heightened fears of a return to full-scale regional war, which would worsen the global energy crisis and deepen market volatility.
Further escalation could also derail ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a permanent end to the conflict between Iran and the US and Israel.
Despite both appearing to be respecting the halt in hostilities on Monday afternoon, allowing airports across the region to reopen, Tel Aviv and Tehran insist that they are ready to swiftly return to military action.
