Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel on Sunday, prompting Israeli retaliation that defied direct appeals from President Donald Trump. Both sides later pledged to halt further attacks on each other.
Iran launched ballistic missiles toward Israel on Sunday, disregarding Trump’s prior warnings about observing a ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with strikes and rejected a personal phone call from Trump instructing him not to retaliate. Trump publicly stated to a Financial Times journalist that he alone determines actions in the situation. On Monday morning both Iran and Israel declared they would avoid further attacks on each other. Netanyahu’s restraint commitment excluded Lebanon, where an Israeli strike on Hezbollah targets had triggered the Iranian missile response. Iran indicated it would intensify attacks if strikes on Lebanon resumed. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin without U.S. involvement, citing American focus on Iran. Putin dismissed the suggestion.
