After days of escalating violence that threatened to pull the Middle East deeper into conflict, Iran and Israel have announced a halt to direct strikes against one another. The uneasy standstill follows a dramatic exchange of missile attacks and air strikes that reignited fears of a wider regional war.
Yet despite the pause in hostilities, both sides are warning that the fighting could resume at any moment if the fragile calm is broken. While leaders in Tehran and Jerusalem have signalled a willingness to stop firing for now, neither side is presenting the pause as a lasting peace agreement.
