Iran says halting attacks on Israel, warns against targeting Lebanon, including south

The Iranian military's joint command said Monday it was halting its offensive operations, after Israel and Iran exchanged fire in their first attacks since the U.S. struck a ceasefire with Tehran two months ago.

Iran had delivered a "painful response" to Israel and "accordingly, the cessation of armed forces operations is hereby announced", the Khatam al-Anbiya command said in a statement carried by state television.

The escalation threatened to drag the Middle East back into a full-scale war.

The joint command said that if Israel or its supporters carried out any further "aggression and hostile acts," including in southern Lebanon, then "much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow."