Iran’s leaders want to show they are serious about defending their Hezbollah allies in Lebanon and maintaining the regional balance of power, analysts say.

Iran and Israel declare a halt to fighting as President Trump says both are seeking an "immediate ceasefire" after a major escalation in the 101-day war.

Iran is ceasing its attacks on Israel after having given a "painful response" to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the military said in a statement issued on national radio on Monday. It comes after Israel

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps signaled that it had concluded its latest military operation against Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulled back from preparations for another attack after pushback from President Trump,

Residents of the city are evacuating and Lebanese media report that at least eight people have been killed by strikes today.

Iran’s latest direct attack on Israel appears to signal a more assertive regional posture, showing Tehran’s willingness to use overt military force, activate allied pressure points, and shape the wider Middle East crisis more openly than before.

Iran also still has many cards in its pocket. These range from expanding the scope of energy and desalination targets it hits across the Gulf to activating the Houthis to block energy traffic in the Red Sea. The Houthis have announced a ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea following the latest escalation.

The missile exchange marked a major escalation in the already tense region. But Israel and Iran both say they will stop attacking each other, with conditions.

The move to protect Hezbollah shows an appetite for risk that didn’t exist before the war.

Iran said Friday it had not yet reached a final conclusion on a deal to end the war with the U.S. despite President Trump announcing an agreement would be signed soon.