Acting defense minister says Israel moving 'closer to collapse'

Iran is prepared for a prolonged conflict with Israel and for strikes against US interests, with all necessary preparations already in place, Guards-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, citing an unnamed military source.

The source said any belief by Israel or the United States that Iran’s response could be contained through a strategy of “controlled escalation” was a miscalculation, adding that Tehran would raise the level of confrontation and punishment until Israel “regrets continuing its crimes.”

The source also said Washington could not distance itself from Israel’s actions and would bear costs for its support, dismissing any portrayal of separate US and Israeli fronts as “propaganda and deception.”

The head of Iran’s Expediency Council said Iran’s strike in defense of Lebanon was not merely a military response, but the formal declaration of a new strategic doctrine.

Sadegh Amoli Larijani said the operation sent a clear message that any attack on "one pillar of the Axis of Resistance would draw a response extending beyond geographical borders and could reshape regional dynamics."

"Iran had also demonstrated that any expansion of the conflict or attack on the country’s critical infrastructure would be met with a comprehensive and deterrent response, one that could encompass all actors supporting such confrontation," he added.

US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Israel and Iran to immediately stop “shooting” after renewed clashes between the two countries.

"Israel and Iran must immediately stop 'shooting'," he wrote in a post on Truth Social.

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Iran's Prosecutor General's Office said on Monday that publishing photos or videos from locations struck by projectiles is a criminal offense if the material could help complete the "enemy's intelligence picture."

In a statement, the office said legal action would be taken against individuals who publish such content, warning of a "decisive legal response" to those found responsible.

The Israeli military said on Monday it was preparing for several more days of fighting with Iran and was ready for a prolonged conflict if hostilities escalate further.

Iran has launched at least 20 ballistic missiles at Israel since Sunday night, according to the military, while Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen fired two additional missiles on Monday morning. The military said most were intercepted or landed in open areas.

Israel has responded with two waves of strikes in Iran. Overnight, Israeli fighter jets targeted nine air defense systems in western and central Iran, and later struck three factories at a petrochemical complex in the southwest of the country.

The military said the operations were carried out by Israel alone but in full coordination with US Central Command. US forces have also helped intercept missiles fired toward Israel.

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has spoken three times with US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper since the latest escalation began, according to the military.