Iranian-made missiles are displayed in Azadi Square in Tehran, on July 24, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
On the eve of his visit to Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that any attack by Iran or its regional allies would prompt "a very, very strong response."
"If Iran attacks Israel, whether directly or through its proxies, whether with ballistic missiles or combat drones, it will make a terrible mistake because Israel's response will be very, very violent," he said in an interview with the American channel Fox News, 48 hours before his planned visit to the White House on Tuesday.
Netanyahu's statement comes amid a slight lull that appears to have held for nearly 48 hours in the Persian Gulf, where exchanges of fire between Iran and the United States have ceased for the second consecutive day after nearly two weeks of renewed hostilities.
However, on Friday, Trump said he was considering even heavier bombing against Iran, but the U.S. military announced no strikes before dawn Sunday. For its part, Iran claimed no attacks against its Gulf neighbors, and those countries reported no overnight alerts, instead announcing that Iran would suspend its fire as long as the United States did the same.
'Shortage of munitions'
Asked by reporters about a possible resumption of a "full-scale war," the U.S. president replied: "If we don't get 100% of what we want, absolutely."
While threatening Tehran, he also said dialogue had not been broken. "In fact, we're talking to them right now," he said of the Iranian leaders. "I think they're getting more and more serious with each passing day, perhaps for an obvious reason," he added, referring to the U.S. bombings.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Sunday on Fox News that the president was leaving "a bit of space" for negotiations with Iran.
"He's leaving a little room for discussions, he's giving them some leeway," he told the broadcaster.
The bombings were reportedly suspended following a visit by Omani officials to Tehran on Friday for new talks with Iranian diplomats, CBS News reported.
According to The New York Times, which cited two sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. government is concerned about dwindling stockpiles of Patriot missile interceptors and other defensive equipment protecting Gulf countries targeted by Iran in retaliation for U.S. attacks. The newspaper also highlighted fears of further escalation. CNN, citing a source at the U.S. Defense Department, also reported that military operations against Iran were "on hold," citing the same reasons.
For its part, Axios reported that the U.S. president's decision not to approve new attacks "reflects both his willingness to leave more room for diplomacy and the realization that, without a return to large-scale military operations, the current level of American strikes has reached the limits of its effectiveness."
However, the outlet noted that if the United States decided to resume its raids on Iran, the military "would be able to remobilize within a relatively short time" and continues to develop plans in case major combat operations resume. Journalist Barak Ravid added that Israel had expected massive U.S. strikes on the Islamic Republic in recent days and had prepared for a potential Iranian response.
'Tactical pause'
For its part, Tehran said it had suspended its attacks against Gulf countries as long as the United States maintained its pause, although it remains skeptical of U.S. intentions.
"Iran's position remains one of retaliation: If attacks cease, Iran will also suspend its operations. This message has already been conveyed to the United States," a senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday.
"Skepticism outweighs optimism about the halt to attacks. The prevailing opinion is that this pause is tactical rather than sincere," the source added.
On Sunday morning, however, Tehran warned that the war could "expand further" across the region if Washington resumed its bombings.
"If the Americans are again deceived by the Zionists or side with them, and insist on continuing the war, particularly through airstrikes, it will expand geographically," army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said, as quoted by state television.
The Middle East war, which began Feb. 28 with a campaign of Israeli-American bombings against Iran, has claimed thousands of lives across the region. It has also shaken the global economy by disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, through which one-fifth of the world's hydrocarbon trade passed before the war.
A memorandum of understanding signed June 17 by the United States and Iran, accompanied by a ceasefire and providing for the launch of a 60-day peace negotiation process, collapsed less than a month after it entered into force.
While a lull appears to have settled over the Gulf during the past two days, a new front in the war has opened with the resumption of hostilities on July 13 between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Control of the country's airspace sparked the dispute: Iran sent a plane carrying a rebel delegation to Sanaa without seeking authorization from Riyadh, contrary to the practice of the past 10 years, prompting strikes on Sanaa airport attributed to the kingdom. In response, the Houthis attacked Saudi territory for the first time since 2022.
At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on the belligerents to "dialogue," arguing that "there is no military solution" to the conflict.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
