Iran, Israel halt strikes against each other at Trump’s request

DUBAI/JERUSALEM: Iran and ‌Israel have halted strikes against each other at the request of US President Donald Trump in what was the most serious escalation since a ceasefire started two months ago and threatened to plunge the Middle East back into war._x000D_
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Israel decided to stop attacks on Iran, a senior ‌Israeli official was ‌cited as ‌saying ⁠by Channel 12 ⁠on Monday, but added that if Hezbollah attacks on ⁠Israeli towns continued, ‌Israel would attack ‌the southern ‌suburbs of Beirut._x000D_
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Iran’s military meanwhile announced that its first wave of attacks on Israel since a ceasefire in April was now over, although it threatened to resume the strikes if Israel continued attacks on Lebanon._x000D_
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Earlier Trump demanded that “Israel and Iran must immediately stop “shooting” in a post on social media._x000D_
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US President Donald Trump said on Monday that both Israel and Iran are looking to “do an immediate ceasefire,” and ‌that ‌final negotiations ‌on “peace” ⁠are proceeding._x000D_
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“Both sides, Israel and ⁠Iran, are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations ⁠on “Peace” are ‌proceeding, ‌subject to ignorance or ‌stupidity getting ‌in its way. The Blockade will remain in place, ‌and in full force and ⁠effect, ⁠until a “Final Deal” is reached. Things should move quickly,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social._x000D_
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Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone on Monday, an Israeli official told Reuters._x000D_
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The call took place before Trump posted on social media that Israel and Iran were seeking an immediate ceasefire, the official added._x000D_
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Tehran remains at the negotiating table_x000D_
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday said Tehran remained at the negotiating table after halting attacks on Israel following the first exchange of fire since the April truce._x000D_
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“Diplomacy and defense are the two wings of national power; we have neither left the battlefield nor the negotiating table,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X, adding that Tehran “will not retreat in the face of any threat.”_x000D_
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Israel and Iran fired at each other on Monday while Yemen’s Houthi militias launched a missile at Israel and threatened to disrupt Red Sea shipping._x000D_
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Israeli authorities said three waves of Iranian missiles targeted the country._x000D_
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Explosions were heard in central Israel as Israeli air defenses sought to intercept the incoming Iranian fire._x000D_
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The Iranian attack came after Israel launched strikes on central and western Iran early Monday in response to missile fire from Tehran, in the most serious crossfire since an April 8 ceasefire was reached in the Iran war._x000D_
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Tehran warned of retaliation after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday in defiance of Washington’s request days ago to stand down._x000D_
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The Israeli strikes came in apparent defiance of Trump, who told the Israeli leader that he doesn’t think Israel needs to respond further.