Trump urges Netanyahu ‘not to retaliate’ after Iran's attack, but Israel continues offensive actions

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday, June 7, urging him not to retaliate as further escalation could jeopardize ongoing efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

Speaking to several media outlets, the commander-in-chief said he did not want either side to continue retaliatory strikes and insisted ongoing negotiations with Tehran should remain the priority. 

Trump pushes for restraint as missile exchange threatens negotiations

Following Iran’s missile barrage, Trump said he intended to intervene directly with Netanyahu to discourage a military response. “I am going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate,” he told Axios. “Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don't need another one.”

Trump also suggested that another round of attacks could prolong a cycle of conflict. “Hopefully, Israel is not going to retaliate. If Bibi strikes them back, it’s just gonna keep going like the last 47 years, or the last 3,000 years,” he said.

The POTUS acknowledged frustration with actions taken by both sides. He said he “wasn’t happy” with Israel’s strike on Beirut after previously urging restraint, while also arguing that Iran’s missile launch would not help diplomatic efforts. 

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

The president also emphasized that he remained optimistic about ongoing negotiations with Tehran. “We are very close to a final deal with Iran. It is going to be a good deal. I don’t want it to blow up because of what is happening now,” he said.

A senior US official later confirmed that Trump had spoken with Netanyahu. 

In an interview with Financial Times earlier in the day, Trump underscored his influence over US policy toward the conflict. “I call the shots. He doesn't call the shots,” he said of Netanyahu, adding that the Israeli leader would have “no choice” but to accept any agreement Washington reaches with Tehran.

Iran defends strike as Israel hits parts of Iran

Iran described its missile attack as retaliation for Israeli military actions and warned that any further response would trigger additional escalation.

Iran's military, in a statement, accused Israel of continuing military operations in Lebanon and targeting Iranian-linked assets despite previous ceasefire understandings. 

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said foreign “aggressors” had received a response and warned that Israel would face “a more crushing response and heavier costs” if it retaliated.

Despite Trump’s appeal for restraint, Israeli officials signaled that military operations were continuing despite diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday, just hours after Trump's appeal, that it had carried out strikes on military targets inside Iran.

“A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force struck military targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran,” the IDF said in a statement posted on Telegram.