Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday, 8 June that Israel's military campaign against Iran is currently 'on hold,' hours after Iranian forces launched missiles at Israel on Sunday night. Netanyahu issued a sharp warning, however, that Israel would respond with full force if Iran resumes hostilities.

Netanyahu's Statement

'At the moment, the fire is on hold because after ... it stopped attacking us,' Netanyahu said in his first televised address, delivered more than 20 hours after the initial Iranian missile barrage. He added: 'If Iran makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force.'

According to reports, Netanyahu had earlier ordered the Israeli military to strike military and economic targets across Iran on Monday before the ceasefire-like pause took hold.

Civil Defence Restrictions to Ease

Following Netanyahu's announcement, Israel's Home Front Command said it would lift most civil defence restrictions across the country from 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Most of Israel will return to full activity at that point, though restrictions will remain in place in several northern communities near the Lebanese border.

Iran Declares End to Operations

Earlier on Monday, Iran's main military command — Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters — announced the cessation of Iranian armed forces' operations against Israel, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The headquarters warned, however, that any further Israeli 'aggression and malicious acts,' including in southern Lebanon, would trigger a 'severe and crushing' response.

Iran said its military actions were carried out in support of the Lebanese people, following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and the Dahieh district south of Beirut.

Iran's President Signals Dual Track

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the situation in a post on X, striking a tone that balanced defiance with diplomatic openness. 'Our priority is national security and the peace of our people. We will defend the rights of the nation with authority and will not retreat in the face of any threat. Diplomacy and defence are the two wings of national power; we have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table,' Pezeshkian wrote.

What Comes Next

The pause in hostilities is fragile. Both sides have issued conditional warnings — Israel threatening renewed strikes if attacked, and Iran promising a harsher response to any further Israeli action. This comes amid an already volatile regional backdrop, with the conflict in southern Lebanon still unresolved. The coming hours will be critical in determining whether the pause holds or escalates into a broader confrontation.