Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel is currently exercising “restraint” by temporarily suspending its military strikes against Iran, despite the severe wave of hostilities that shook the Middle East over the weekend.
In a televised national address, Netanyahu struck a confident tone, asserting that Israel’s strategic deterrence has significantly degraded the capabilities of both Tehran and its primary proxy, Hezbollah. However, he warned that the situation remains highly volatile and that Israel’s military apparatus remains on high alert.
“A Deeper Weakness” but No Guarantees
Netanyahu emphasized that the back-and-forth military engagements on Sunday have left Israel’s adversaries in a diminished strategic position.
“They are weaker than they were before,” Netanyahu declared during his broadcast. “We are holding back and, for the moment, we have suspended attacks against Iran. However, the situation remains unstable, and a further confrontation can absolutely not be ruled out.”
The Prime Minister issued a stern warning to Tehran’s leadership, clarifying that the current pause in military operations should not be mistaken for a lack of resolve. He reiterated that if Iran launches any new strikes against Israeli territory, his government will respond with overwhelming force to exercise its inherent right to self-defense.
Direct Coordination with Washington
A critical element of Israel’s current operational posture is its close alignment with the United States. Netanyahu confirmed that he has been in constant communication with U.S. President Donald Trump since the onset of the latest escalation on Sunday.
[Key Takeaways from Netanyahu's Address]
• Current Stance: Israel is exercising operational restraint; strikes are temporarily paused.
• Strategic Assessment: Iran and Hezbollah are heavily degraded and "weaker than before."
• Red Line: Any fresh aggression from Tehran will be met with immediate, overwhelming force.
• Diplomacy: Continuous, direct coordination is being maintained with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The temporary suspension of strikes comes amid intense diplomatic pressure from regional and international mediators. Earlier on Monday, both Egypt and Qatar issued urgent joint appeals to Washington and Teheran to halt the escalatory spiral, which began when an Israeli strike in Beirut—violating an active ceasefire—prompted a retaliatory Iranian missile barrage targeting northern Israel.
While Netanyahu’s televised statement signals a brief pause in direct state-on-state warfare, the Israeli military continues to fortify its defensive lines as the region awaits Iran’s next diplomatic or military move.
