Iran says it has halted attacks on Israel after first exchange of fire since truce

Iran's armed forces say they have halted military operations against Israel, after the two countries exchanged strikes for the first time since April's ceasefire.

The Khatam ol‑Anbiya command said Iran had delivered a "painful response" to Israel and warned it against continued attacks, including in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are fighting the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah.

An Israeli official told Channel 12 that Israel had halted strikes on Iran at the US president's request, but that attacks on southern Lebanon would continue.

Iran launched about 30 missiles at Israel in retaliation for a strike in Beirut on Sunday. Israel responded by conducting two waves of air strikes in Iran.

US President Donald Trump told both countries on Monday to "immediately stop 'shooting'" because they were jeopardising negotiations on a deal to end the regional war.

"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," he wrote on Truth Social.

The White House confirmed to the BBC that Trump called Netanyahu to discuss the crisis.

The war began on 28 February, when Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other top officials.

The hostilities spread quickly across the Middle East, as Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting US military facilities. Iran also effectively blocked the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, causing a surge in the price of oil.

Pakistan brokered a ceasefire that began on 7 April to facilitate negotiations on a comprehensive deal to end the war, but there have been sporadic US air strikes on Iran and Iranian drone and missile attacks on neighbouring states since then.

Lebanon was drawn into the conflict on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for Khamenei's assassination. Israel responded with air strikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion of a significant part of the country's south.

The fighting continued after the US-brokered a ceasefire deal between the Israeli and Lebanese governments on 16 April. But in recent weeks, the US has been pressing Israel to scale back its campaign to allow room for a wider deal with Iran, which has demanded that it also cover the conflict in Lebanon.

Although Israel has insisted its war against Hezbollah is separate, it has limited its strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs - a stronghold of Hezbollah also known as Dahieh.

Last Wednesday, Isra