US President Donald Trump has asked Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate to Iran’s latest barrage of missiles, saying it would jeopardise the ongoing negotiations for a peace deal to end the three-month long conflict. US media outlet Axios reported that after Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday, Trump spoke to Netanyahu in a bid to prevent fresh tensions between the two nations from derailing the peace deal.
Trump also asked Iran to return to the negotiating table. He reiterated that Washington is close to reaching an agreement and warned that escalating tensions could derail the effort. Trump said Netanyahu would likely have to accept whatever agreement the US ultimately reaches with Iran.
Trump also criticised Israel’s strikes on Beirut on Sunday, saying he was “not happy about it”. Trump told Netanyahu during the call to hold off because “we are close to doing something good in terms of a deal”, Axios reported, quoting a US official.
Iran launched missiles at Israel in the first such escalation since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, raising the possibility of a return to heavy fighting and complicating mediation efforts to end the war. Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed the launches, and Iran closed its western airspace to brace for a possible response.
