The Iranian military’s joint command announced on Monday that it was halting offensive operations after Israel and Iran exchanged fire, marking their first attacks since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire two months ago.

The escalation threatened to drag the Middle East back into a full-scale war, The Caspian Post reports, citing Naharnet.

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."