Netanyahu: Iran airstrikes paused for now amid Trump pressure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel would temporarily halt its airstrikes against Iran. This comes after Iran declared a cessation of its military operations against Israel, suggesting a de-escalation after a brief but intense exchange of fire.

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The attacks on this front are currently stopped. This is because the terror regime in Tehran, after being hit, stopped its attacks against us.

Netanyahu stated in a pre-recorded video message, "The attacks on this front are currently stopped." He attributed this to Iran's decision to halt its attacks after being hit. However, he issued a stern warning: "If the terror regime attacks us again, we will respond with great force."

The recent confrontation was triggered by an Israeli strike on the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold. Israel claimed it was a response to Hezbollah's attacks on northern Israel, while Iran stated its missile launch was retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Beirut.

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If the terror regime attacks us again, we will respond with great force.

Reports suggest that U.S. President Donald Trump played a significant role in urging Netanyahu to halt the operations. Axios reported that Trump expressed displeasure with the Beirut strike, which was not communicated to the White House despite notification to the U.S. Central Command. Trump reportedly told Netanyahu during a call that Israel "might be on its own" if it continued the conflict. This pressure appears to have led Netanyahu to order his military command to cancel a large-scale airstrike targeting sensitive sites in Iran.

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I told Bibi, 'You better be careful, or you might soon be on your own.'

While both sides have paused direct attacks, tensions remain high. Netanyahu asserted that Iran and Hezbollah are weaker than ever, but their struggle is not over. He confirmed that Israel would continue to target Hezbollah's military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Iran, in turn, warned of a much stronger response if Israeli aggression continues. Analysts suggest the incident highlights diverging strategic interests between the U.S. and Israel, with Netanyahu needing continued conflict for political survival and Trump seeking an end to the war for his own political reasons.

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Israel has complete self-defense rights, and we will exercise them whenever necessary. I say this to the dear people of Israel, just as I said it during my friendly conversation with my friend President Trump.