President Trump called for an immediate halt to hostilities between Israel and Iran on Monday, posting on Truth Social that both nations should "immediately stop shooting." The plea came hours after a new round of strikes threatened to obliterate months of diplomatic groundwork.
The escalation began Sunday when Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel in response to an Israeli attack on Lebanon. Trump had specifically asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate, warning that striking back would "blow up" the deal he was negotiating with Tehran. Netanyahu ignored the request and ordered strikes on Iranian military targets, including sites in Tehran. Iran responded with more missile fire.
Trump's public statements on the matter contradicted what was happening on the ground. He claimed both Israel and Iran were "looking to do an immediate ceasefire," despite no evidence from either side supporting that assertion. He also insisted negotiations with Iran should proceed "quickly," barring "ignorance or stupidity."
Behind closed doors, tensions between Trump and Netanyahu were evident. A U.S. official described the phone call between them as "polite" but noted that Netanyahu pushed back against Trump's request not to retaliate. "Netanyahu was expressly told the cycle needs to end. The U.S. didn't agree or support these strikes," the official said.
The military exchanges marked the most significant escalation since an April 8 ceasefire. An Israeli Defense Forces official told reporters the country was preparing for several days of fighting. On Monday morning, Israeli forces attacked Iranian air defense systems and a major petrochemical facility that the IDF claimed was used to produce weapons materials.
Iran's response was swift. The Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it could target infrastructure in Israel and Gulf countries. The Iranian military had already fired more than 25 missiles at Israeli targets, including Tel Aviv, though most were intercepted. The Iranian Foreign Ministry blamed the U.S. directly for Israel's actions and warned that the developments were worsening the diplomatic process.
The conflict expanded beyond the two main adversaries. Houthi rebels in Yemen launched two missiles at Israel and announced plans to attack Israeli vessels in the Red Sea. The Pentagon had not directly assisted Israeli strikes on Iran, though a U.S. official confirmed American forces helped intercept Iranian attacks on Israel.
The fighting threatens to derail Trump's diplomatic efforts with Iran. The Israeli government had been signaling confidence in securing a deal, but the renewed hostilities have upended that calculus. Negotiations appear fragile at best, and the cycle of retaliation shows no sign of stopping.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's plea for restraint rings hollow when the people actually fighting aren't listening, and his claims about ceasefire prospects look delusional given what Iran and the Revolutionary Guards are saying."
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