President Donald Trump said Sunday that he intends to press Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran following Tehran’s missile barrage against Israel, warning that further military escalation could jeopardize delicate diplomatic efforts currently underway, the NY Post reports.

The comments came after Iran launched at least ten missiles toward Israel on Sunday, just hours after the IDF carried out a strike on a Hezbollah command facility in Beirut.

Speaking with Fox News, Trump indicated that he was displeased by Israel’s operation in the Lebanese capital, particularly because he had previously urged Netanyahu to avoid such action. At the same time, he acknowledged that Iran’s missile attack would also complicate efforts to advance negotiations.

“What I would suggest to Iran: You’ve shot your missiles, that’s enough. Get back to the table and make a deal,” Trump told the outlet.

The President also highlighted the strength of the American military and pointed to the impact of the ongoing naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which has placed significant economic pressure on Iran by disrupting key oil exports.

In separate remarks to Axios, Trump said he was taking direct action to prevent a broader confrontation between Israel and Iran.

“Calling Netanyahu right now and telling him not to attack Iran in response.”

Trump argued that both sides had already demonstrated their capabilities and warned that another round of attacks could trigger an endless cycle of retaliation.

“Each of them had their fun. If Bibi strikes them back it’s just gonna keep going like the last 47 years, or the last 3,000 years,” Trump said.

In a brief telephone conversation with The New York Post later in the day, Trump expressed confidence about the overall situation, saying simply that “things are going very well.”

Iranian officials, however, signaled that they were prepared for a wider confrontation and issued fresh threats directed at both Israel and the United States.

In a statement distributed through state-affiliated media, Iran’s military claimed that its acceptance of a ceasefire agreement earlier this year had been contingent upon a halt to hostilities across the region, while accusing both Washington and Jerusalem of violating those understandings.

“Our acceptance of the ceasefire on April 8 was conditional on a ceasefire on ALL fronts; but as always, America and Israel did not adhere to their commitment, they continued the aggression and crimes in Lebanon, and attacked Iranian vessels,” Iran’s military said in a statement shared with regime media on Sunday.

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, praised what he described as Tehran’s response to foreign adversaries and warned that any Israeli retaliation would be met with a significantly harsher reaction.

He touted the “response” foreign “aggressors” received and promised that Israel would see “a more crushing response and heavier costs” if it retaliates.

Despite Trump’s efforts to calm the situation, Israeli officials indicated that military planning remains ongoing.

Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, one of the IDF’s senior spokesmen, announced that the military had approved plans for additional operations in Lebanon if necessary.

While Defrin stopped short of announcing an immediate response to Iran’s missile attack, he sharply criticized Tehran’s actions, declaring that Iran had committed “a grave mistake.”

{Matzav.com}