The President of the United States, , asked Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to suspend further attacks against Iran and provide space for diplomacy. The request was temporarily granted, according to an Israeli official interviewed by Channel 12 this Monday (8).
The pause comes after four days of clashes that put the ceasefire brokered by Washington in April at risk and reignited concerns about global energy security. Despite the suspension of direct attacks on Iran, Israel has signaled that it will continue its military campaign against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The new escalation revealed a problem that was never resolved by the agreement created by the United States. Although the truce reduced the risk of direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran, it did not include Israeli operations against Hezbollah, the Iranian regime’s main regional ally.
The climb began in Lebanon
The starting point of the crisis was a series of Israeli bombings against Hezbollah-linked targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon. Israel maintains that the group continues to expand its military capacity near the border and claims that its operations are necessary to prevent further attacks against Israeli territory.
The attacks occurred weeks after an attempted agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government mediated by the United States. The understanding ended up failing after Hezbollah rejected the terms of the proposal, classifying it as unacceptable.
The deterioration of the situation had been observed for months. According to Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Israel carried out 3,491 air strikes in the country between April 17 and June 7, in addition to 407 controlled demolitions and six major destruction operations in areas close to the border.
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Tehran responds and expands the conflict
After the bombings in Lebanon, Iran decided to react directly. Tehran launched missiles at Israel and said it would not remain passive in the face of attacks against allied forces and groups in the region.
The Iranian government began to treat the Israeli offensive against Hezbollah as part of a broader strategy of pressure against the so-called “axis of resistance”, formed by groups supported by Tehran in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
The Iranian response represented an important change because it elevated the confrontation from an indirect dispute to an open exchange of attacks between the two countries.
Israel targets infrastructure
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bombed Iranian military installations and hit the Karun petrochemical company, one of the largest companies in the sector in the country.
According to the Israeli military, the targets were part of the infrastructure used to produce materials used in the Iranian ballistic missile program.
Israel argues that these facilities have a strategic role in developing weapons capable of reaching its territory. The Iranian government rejected this version and accused Israel of attacking civil and economic structures.
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Oil enters the center of the conflict
From that moment on, the crisis stopped being just a military one and began to directly concern the markets. This Monday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it had launched missiles at industrial facilities in Haifa, in northern Israel.
The attack was presented as a response to the Israeli bombing of a petrochemical complex located in Mahshahr, an important Iranian energy hub.
In a statement, the corporation stated that Israel set a dangerous precedent by targeting facilities linked to the oil and energy sectors.
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The message was interpreted by analysts as a warning that energy assets could become priority targets if the escalation continues.
Trump tries to save the truce
The American government has been working for months to reduce tensions in the region and ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a passage through which approximately 20% of all oil consumed in the world flows.
The partial blockage of the route in recent months has already caused fluctuations in international prices and increased inflationary concerns in the United States.
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According to the Wall Street JournalTrump considers that an expanded regional war could compromise one of the main objectives of his foreign policy: stabilizing global energy flows and reducing pressure on the American economy.
The crisis has also revealed growing differences between Trump and Netanyahu. While the White House seeks to preserve the ceasefire and advance broader negotiations with Iran, the Israeli government maintains that the fight against Hezbollah must continue regardless of diplomatic agreements.
Netanyahu faces strong domestic pressure to maintain a tough stance against Tehran-backed groups. Trump, on the other hand, seeks to avoid a military deterioration that could affect energy prices and increase regional instability.
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