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The remarks come shortly after Donald Trump took to Truth Social asking all parties to halt hostilities.
Smoke rises from Israeli bombardment near the village of Kfar Tibnit as seen from nearby Marjayoun (Marjeyoun) in southern Lebanon. (AFP photo)
Israel stopped its strikes on Iran on Monday, at the request of US President Donald Trump, a senior Israeli official told Israel’s Channel 12, as both sides pulled back from the first exchange of fire since an April truce took effect. The same Israeli official warned that if Hezbollah continues attacking Israeli communities, Israel would strike Beirut’s southern suburbs, including the Dahiyeh district.
Senior Israeli official: At Trump’s request, Israel is stopping the attacks in Iran. The attacks in southern Lebanon will continue in the coming days with full force – we will also bomb Dahiya if the attacks on our settlements and citizens continue@yaronavraham— The News – N12 (@N12News) June 8, 2026
Iran’s military command separately announced it was halting its operations against Israel, saying it had delivered a “painful response” and that the “cessation of armed forces operations is hereby announced”, according to a statement carried by Iranian state television.
Trump, writing on Truth Social, said both Israel and Iran were seeking “an immediate ceasefire” and that final peace negotiations were continuing, though he warned that “stupidity” could still derail a resolution. “The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a ‘Final Deal’ is reached,” he wrote, referring to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports in place since April 13.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a post on X, said Tehran had neither left the battlefield nor the negotiating table. “Diplomacy and defence are the two wings of national power,” he wrote, adding that Iran “will not retreat in the face of any threat”.
Our priority is national security and people’s peace. We defend the rights of the nation with authority and will not back down against any threat. Diplomacy and defense are two wings of national power; We have not left the field or the negotiation table. Hopefully, with the unity and rationality of Iran, it will pass this test with pride. – Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) June 8, 2026
Iran’s Warning: Wider Retaliation If Aggression Continues
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command left open the door to further action. “Should acts of aggression and hostility continue, including in southern Lebanon, much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow,” the statement said. The exchange was triggered by Israeli missile strikes in the early hours of Monday on Iranian air defence installations and a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr in southwestern Iran.
Citizens in Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz reported explosions. Iran’s airports were briefly shut in response. Aftershocks of the diplomatic row also reached the nuclear talks: Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that Tehran’s negotiating team suspended its exchange of messages with Washington through intermediaries, in protest at Israel’s actions in Lebanon.
Hezbollah Denies Direct Contact With Trump
Senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qomati told AFP in written remarks on Monday that there had been “no direct contact between President Trump and Hezbollah officials”. Trump had claimed last Wednesday that the US had “actually spoke with Hezbollah for the first time, ever,” and two days earlier said he had “a very good call with Hezbollah” through “highly placed Representatives”.
Qomati said Trump was likely referring to the fact that parliament speaker Nabih Berri’s adviser communicates with the US ambassador and passes on messages. Berri, who heads the Shia Amal movement and acts as an intermediary for Hezbollah, met US Ambassador Michel Issa again on Monday.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterated that “only the Lebanese state negotiates in the name of Lebanon”. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the conflict on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
About the Author
Anoshito Banerjee is a digital journalist at CNN-News18, specialising in Indian foreign policy, global diplomacy, South and West Asian geopolitics, and strategic affairs. His reporting spans hard news…Read More
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