Iran’s armed forces say they have ended their current military operations against Israel, after a rapid exchange of strikes pushed the region back toward a wider war. State media reported that Tehran was halting its latest attacks, but Iran’s military warned that any renewed Israeli attacks on Lebanon could trigger “harsher” retaliation.
The announcement came after Israel and Iran traded fire following Israeli strikes linked to Lebanon and Hezbollah. Donald Trump had publicly demanded that both sides “immediately stop shooting,” while claiming a ceasefire path was still possible. But the warning from Tehran shows the conflict is not truly settled — it has only been paused under threat.
Lebanon remains the flashpoint. Iran is making clear that Israeli military action there could restart direct attacks on Israel, turning Lebanon from a battleground into the trigger for another regional escalation. Israel remains on alert, while Washington is trying to hold together a ceasefire that appears fragile from the start.
For civilians across Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran, the danger is that every “pause” now comes with a warning attached. One new strike could be enough to collapse the ceasefire and drag the region back into open war.