Israel and Iran step back from escalation

NPR | By Aya Batrawy

Published June 8, 2026 at 4:18 PM EDT

Israel and Iran have paused their latest exchange of strikes following U.S. pressure to de-escalate, but both sides warn they will retaliate if hostilities resume.

Aya Batrawy

Aya Batraway is an NPR International Correspondent based in Dubai. She joined in 2022 from the Associated Press, where she was an editor and reporter for over 11 years.

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