ALBAWABA- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will hold off on further strikes against Iran “for now,” while warning that any renewed Iranian attacks would be met with a forceful response.
His remarks come amid rapidly shifting exchanges of fire across multiple fronts in the region and competing signals from Tehran and Beirut.
Netanyahu cautioned that Israel’s restraint should not be interpreted as de-escalation, stressing that the country remains prepared to respond “with might” if attacked again.
He also said Israel must be led by a prime minister capable of standing firm in the face of international pressure, including from the United States, adding that Israel “needs a leader who can say no to America when necessary” to safeguard national security interests.
The comments followed a brief lull after Iran announced it would halt strikes on Israel after an exchange of fire between the two sides, the first direct escalation since April. However, Iranian military leadership later issued a warning that it would launch a “more severe” response if Israeli operations in southern Lebanon continue, underscoring the fragility of the situation.
At the same time, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz signalled a possible recalibration of military operations, hinting that Israel may consider halting strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut if attacks from northern Lebanon cease. His remarks were widely interpreted as an attempt to link Israel’s operational posture in Lebanon to cross-border rocket fire into northern Israel.
On his part, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran’s “priority is national security and the peace of our people,” adding that Iran would defend its national rights “with authority” and would not retreat in the face of any threat.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian said diplomacy and defence are “two wings of national power,” stressing that Iran has “neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table.” He added that, “with unity and rationality,” Iran would “emerge triumphant” from the current crisis.
Separately, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf took a more confrontational tone, accusing Israel of undermining any ceasefire framework.
Ghalibaf said Iran had “foiled the ceasefire agreement on paper, and its continuous breach in reality,” warning that unless there is what he described as a genuine effort to rebuild trust, “this will be Iran’s response.”
The statements reflect an increasingly complex multi-front confrontation involving Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah-linked positions in Lebanon, where periodic exchanges of fire have raised fears of wider escalation despite intermittent pauses and diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict.
