U.S. President Donald Trump called for an immediate halt to missile exchanges between Israel and Iran on Monday, as the two countries’ strikes threatened to collapse his diplomatic efforts to end the war.
“Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social early Monday.
The post came hours after Trump called Netanyahu on Sunday to urge him to hold off on a retaliatory strike against Iran, according to media reports. Netanyahu ordered the strikes anyway.
Israel and Iran exchanged their most serious missile strikes since an April 8 ceasefire, threatening to unravel diplomatic efforts to end the conflict on the war’s 100th day.
The exchange began Sunday when Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs in defiance of a U.S. request to stand down. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at northern Israel — the first such bombardment since the ceasefire took effect two months ago.
Israel launched airstrikes on military targets in central and western Iran early Monday, the Israeli military said. Iran responded with a second wave of missile fire.
Trump told the Financial Times that Netanyahu “won’t have any choice” but to accept whatever agreement Washington reaches with Tehran. “I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots,” Trump said.
Trump also told Fox News he was “not happy” about Israel’s strikes on Beirut, saying Iran’s missile attacks would “certainly not help” negotiations. He said a deal had been days away.
“I would say an agreement would be signed on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of this coming week. And now this takes place,” Trump said.
Iran’s military warned that if Israel expanded its attacks or responded further, it would face “more crushing and regretful blows,” according to General Ali Abollahi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya command.
The war began Feb. 28 when Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran targeting its nuclear and ballistic missile program. Pakistan mediated a conditional ceasefire on April 8.
Two regional officials told NPR on Monday that diplomats were working urgently to salvage the ceasefire.
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