Iran and Israel have exchanged military strikes for the first time since an early April ceasefire, severely threatening the fragile truce brokered by the U.S. President Donald Trump has called for an immediate halt to hostilities while maintaining that ‘final negotiations’ for peace are still ongoing, despite Iranian officials blaming the U.S. for the escalation.
A precarious calm in the Middle East has been shattered as Iran and Israel engaged in their first direct exchange of military strikes since an early April ceasefire, casting serious doubt on ongoing peace negotiations. The escalating hostilities have put Washington's fragile truce with Tehran under immense strain, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to publicly urge de-escalation while simultaneously asserting that 'final negotiations' for peace are still underway.
Trump took to Truth Social, posting, "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." This followed an earlier, more direct plea: "Israel and Iran must immediately stop 'shooting.'"
The current flare-up began with Iran's missile launch towards Israel on Sunday, to which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) retaliated with a "large-scale strike on strategic defense systems" on Monday. This immediate escalation directly challenged the ceasefire that had been painstakingly established, which Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf claimed was violated by the U.S. "naval blockade and violation of agreements regarding Lebanon."
On Monday morning, the IDF confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that "missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel a short while ago," and that "Defense systems are operating to intercept the threat." Later, the IDF announced it had "struck military targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran a short while ago."
Ahmad Gharabli | AFP | Getty Images
The White House confirmed President Trump was briefed on the renewed fighting, and Axios reported that Trump intended to call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to urge restraint before Israel's retaliatory strikes. However, the subsequent Israeli response underscores the deep-seated tensions and challenges in mediating a lasting peace.
Iranian officials have been vocal, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stating that the U.S. was "responsible for the consequences of any escalation." Qalibaf also warned that continued U.S. military activity in Lebanon and the ongoing blockade would render "American and regime bases and assets in the region into legitimate targets."
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, in a statement to The New York Times, underscored the conditional nature of the ceasefire: "Tonight's operation was a warning, and if aggressions are repeated, the responses will be broader."
Meanwhile, a White House official, speaking anonymously, suggested that Trump may have "underestimated the willingness of Iran to restart the conflict," describing Iran's "erratic behavior" as placing the president in an "incredibly challenging situation with no imminent off-ramp."
Amir Cohen | Reuters
Despite the renewed hostilities, Trump told the Financial Times that Netanyahu "won't have any choice" but to accept a U.S.-negotiated deal with Iran, emphasizing that the U.S. president "calls the shots." However, an Iranian official involved in the talks indicated to MS NOW that "a deal with President Trump is no longer feasible at this stage," blaming Trump for the situation in Lebanon and the current escalation.
The ceasefire, in place since early April, has been consistently challenged by fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran demands an end to hostilities in Lebanon and a halt to the U.S. blockade of its ports, while the U.S. insists Iran surrender its nuclear material and commit to not developing nuclear weapons.
Amidst these tensions, the Trump administration is reportedly considering redirecting Iranian assets to allied Gulf states for reconstruction purposes. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, responded sharply on X, asserting that Iran's assets were "neither war spoils for Washington nor a payment fund for its allies," signaling a continued diplomatic impasse.
