US President Trump said on Sunday that Israel “won’t have any choice” but to accept any potential deal to end the war with Iran, The Hill reports.
“I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots,” Trump said in a phone interview with the Financial Times, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The interview came shortly after Iran fired missiles into Israel, marking the first time Tehran fired at the country during the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Israel.
Iran’s strikes on Israel came as Houthis in Yemen also said they would attack Israeli vessels attempting to transit the Red Sea, further threatening global shipping.
Tension between Israel and Iran had brewed over the weekend after Israel breached the security zone that serves as a buffer between Lebanon with intentions to target the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. Israel had previously agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Lebanon.
According to Axios, Trump told Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran, but on Sunday evening, Israel’s Defense Forces announced the country struck back against Iran, hitting military targets in western and central Iran.
Trump urged the two countries to stop shooting “immediately” in a Truth Social post on Monday morning. In a subsequent post, Trump said Israel and Iran were looking to do “an immediate ceasefire.”
The president noted final negotiations toward a peace deal are “proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way” while adding that a blockade will remain in place until a final agreement is reached.
Iran announced on Monday that it was suspending its military operations in Israel, but warned of “a harsher and more crushing response” if Israel “renewed aggression” in southern Lebanon.
