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proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way.” He added that a US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place till a final deal was reached

The Israeli premier, though, said in a televised statement he had told Trump that “Israel has a full right to self-defence, and we are exercising it as required”.

In a sign that both sides expected the ceasefire to hold, Israel’s education ministry announced that schools would reopen today, having closed because of the missile threat, while Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation said it was reopening the country’s airspace.

Iran fired nearly 30 missiles at Israel overnight, according to the Israeli military, and Israel responded by targeting military sites in the Islamic republic.

No casualties have been reported in either Israel or Iran after the exchange of fire.

Katz said Israel’s armed forces “will continue to operate in Lebanon against the terrorist organisation Hezbollah,”

“We categorically reject Iran’s threats. Any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon and Iran and attack Israel will be met with great force, as happened yesterday,” Katz said.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, yesterday said the US is “neither seeking a ceasefire nor seeking dialogue”, and Iran should respond “decisively to defend the rights of the Iranian people”.

Oil prices surged more than five per cent on worries that the war would resume, with hopes of a rapid end to the standoff that has seen shipments of the Gulf’s oil and gas all but halted through the Strait of Hormuz now punctured.

The strikes also came at a critical moment for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict involving mediator Pakistan.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei yesterday warned at a press conference in Tehran that diplomacy was continuing but could be affected by the fighting.