Why the Iran War restarting now would be Trump's nightmare

Описание: Israel and Iran have vowed to halt fighting after strikes from both sides over the weekend risked derailing peace attempts led by Donald Trump.

On Monday afternoon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a brief statement that “right now, the fire has been halted”.

Netanyahu asserted Israel’s right to self-defence, adding: “And I say this with appreciation and respect in my good conversations with my friend President Trump.”

Netanyahu appears to have openly defied Trump with a strike in Beirut on Sunday and then retaliatory attacks against Iran.

He also said Israel would still continue to operate against Iran's ally, Hezbollah, in Lebanon despite continued attempts by Trump to stop the fighting in the region.

The statement from the Israeli PM came after the Iranian military’s joint command said it is halting its offensive operations hours after Israel and Iran began trading fire in retaliatory strikes that threatened to drag the wider Middle East back into a full-scale regional war.

The joint command said that if Israel or its supporters carried out any further "aggression and hostile acts," including in southern Lebanon, then "much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow".

The announcement comes after Trump claimed that both sides are "looking to do an immediate ceasefire".

Central and western Iran were hit by Israeli strikes early on Monday morning, in response to missiles from Tehran, in what is the most serious crossfire between the nations since an April 8 ceasefire began.

"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.

"The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a 'Final Deal' is reached. Things should move quickly."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said he was "deeply concerned" about the strikes and stated that it was "really important that all parties get back to a ceasefire".

"There are serious negotiations going on, towards a lasting peace. It’s really important that we give them ever chance of success because this conflict is already having a huge impact across the world, including here in the United Kingdom," the PM said.

Iran's state media reported explosions in Isfahan, Karaj, Tabriz and Tehran, and the airspace was closed around Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport following Israeli strikes.

Israeli authorities then warned that two waves of Iranian missiles were targeting the country, and urged the public to seek shelter.