The ceasefire between Israel and Iran is holding for now, but just barely. After days of back-and-forth attacks, both sides have paused for the moment. But people in the region are holding their breath.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Israel keeps breaking the rules. He said there is no real desire from Israel to build trust. He warned the ceasefire is brittle and could snap at any time.
On Monday, Israel carried out a new strike on Iran’s Mahshahr petrochemical complex in the southwest. That facility is one of Iran’s most important industrial centers. Iranian media said no one was killed, but officials are still checking how bad the damage is and what it will cost the economy.
The strike happened even after US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be “careful.” Trump warned that more attacks could destroy the fragile truce that has been in place since April 8.
According to Axios, Trump told Netanyahu he could find himself “on your own very soon” if he keeps launching strikes. The president urged Netanyahu not to hit back after Iran signaled it would stop its own attacks. That shows growing public disagreement between the two allies.
But critics say Trump’s words are not enough. Phyllis Bennis from the Institute for Policy Studies said the warning would mean more if the US actually did something. She pointed out that America keeps sending military aid, weapons, and diplomatic support to Israel. So Netanyahu has little reason to take the warning seriously.
Military historian Danny Orbach said Israel’s decision to strike Iran despite Trump’s call for calm was a message. He said Israel wanted to tell Washington that it can still mess up any deal between the US and Iran if Israeli security is ignored.
Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, told Fox News that talks between Washington and Tehran have “nothing to do with Lebanon.” He accused Iran of trying to connect the two issues. He also warned that Lebanon will not have a future if it stays tied to Iran.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it carried out 16 attacks against Israeli forces on Monday. The group targeted troop gatherings, military vehicles, and equipment across southern Lebanon. They said they used drones, guided missiles, artillery, and loitering munitions. The attacks happened near Beaufort Castle, Odaisseh, and Yohmor al-Shaqif. Hezbollah claimed it destroyed ammunition trucks and military bulldozers.
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