Iran Calls Off Attacks On Israel, Warns Of 'Crushing' Response If Lebanon Is Targeted
Iran Calls Off Attacks On Israel, Warns Of 'Crushing' Response If Lebanon Is Targeted Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 17:48 IST Iran launched
Iran Calls Off Attacks On Israel, Warns Of 'Crushing' Response If Lebanon Is Targeted Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 17:48 IST Iran launched salvos of missiles at Israel in response to an Israeli attack on Beirut's southern suburbs, in defiance of US President Donald Trump's call for restraint. Rapid Read A man operates a drone near a part of a missile protruding from the ground, following strikes from Iran. (Reuters) The Iranian military announced an end to military operations against Israel after both countries exchanged missile attacks for the first time in months, which drove up oil prices and threatened to derail US-Iran peace talks to end the war in West Asia. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency has put out a statement by the country’s armed forces announcing an end to military operations against Israel. The statement also warned of harsh measures if hostile actions continued, including in southern Lebanon. Israel is yet to respond to Iran’s announcement. “Following the aggressions and acts of mischief by the brutal Zionist regime (Israel) in southern Lebanon and the Dahieh area, carried out with the support of criminal America, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in support of the oppressed people of Lebanon, delivered a painful response to this regime," the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement.
FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES HERE “The operations of the armed forces are hereby declared halted; however, it is emphasised that if the aggressions and acts of mischief continue – including in southern Lebanon – much more severe and crushing actions than before will follow," it added. Before Iran announced the suspension of attacks, US President Donald Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the second phone call in less than 24 hours, an Israeli source told CNN. Why Did Iran, Israel Exchange Fire? Regional tensions dramatically escalated on Monday after Iran launched missiles targeting several areas in Israel on Sunday night in retaliation for an Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut, killing at least two people and wounding 20. Despite Trump telling Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate, Israel struck several military targets, including infrastructure sites at a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr used to build ballistic missiles. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it retaliated with a strike aimed at a similar Israeli facility in the city of Haifa and two air bases.
ALSO READ: Houthis Join Iran War: Yemeni Rebels Attack Israel, Impose Ban On Israeli Ships In Red Sea Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump demanded that Israel and Iran “immediately stop" shooting at each other as the renewed hostilities threatened to wreck efforts aimed at halting the war. However, an Israeli official told Reuters that his country was prepared for a range of options in Iran, from several days to “as long as it takes". Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei blamed the US for the recent escalation, saying Israel’s actions in Lebanon were aimed at sabotaging diplomacy. “The United States bears direct responsibility for any action the Zionist regime takes in relation to violating regional peace and security against Iran," he said. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a missile attack on Israel and declared a ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, raising the spectre of a return to major disruption on the key route. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18.
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