Iran says military forced Israel to halt attacks

Iran’s top security body said on Monday that its armed forces had compelled Israel to cease hostilities following a wave of retaliatory strikes, including on US and Israeli targets, during 12 days of cross-border escalation.

In a statement published by state media, the Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said Iranian forces had responded to Israeli “aggression” with “unprecedented courage,” citing missile attacks on the US Al Udeid air base in Qatar and multiple sites across Israeli territory.

“The children of this nation answered the call of the Supreme Leader” the statement read, referring to Ali Khamenei. “With unmatched bravery, they delivered crushing blows to every act of enemy aggression.”

“Our armed forces, with their fingers on the trigger, do not place the slightest trust in enemy words,” the statement said. “They are ready to deliver a decisive and regret-inducing response to any further act of aggression.”