United States President Donald Trump has indicated that he plans to call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the aim of asking him not to respond militarily to the missile attack launched tonight from Iran against Israeli territory, in an attempt to keep open the path for a negotiated solution to the conflict.
"I'm going to call Netanyahu right now and tell him not to counterattack," Trump stated in a conversation with Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, broadcast by Fox News.
At the same time, the leader urged Iran to immediately stop missile launches against Israel and to return to talks as soon as possible to try to reach an agreement that ends the escalation.
"What I would suggest to Iran is: you've launched your missiles. Enough. Go back to the table and reach an agreement," the US president said.
Trump also spoke in an interview with Israeli television N12. "Nobody was injured in the missile attack. If Netanyahu responds, this will go on and on. We are very close to a deal to end the war and it will be a good deal. I don't want this to spoil the deal. Both sides have attacked. I don't want to see more attacks," he stated.
In statements to Israeli public television Kan, the North American leader considered that Israel "has responded enough" and that, therefore, "there is no need for further response." "We can achieve peace after 3,000 years," he maintained.
Shortly after these interventions, the White House tenant stressed that Netanyahu "will have no choice" but to accept any understanding that the United States reaches with Iran, considering, in an interview with the British newspaper 'Financial Times', that the Israeli prime minister "does not make the decisions."
On Sunday, Iran fired at least three waves of missiles at northern Israel, forcing the activation of anti-aircraft sirens in almost 300 towns and enclaves in the country.
Tehran presented this attack as a "warning" in retaliation for the Israeli bombing carried out also on Sunday on Dahiye, a neighborhood in southern Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, considered a stronghold of the Lebanese Shiite party-militia Hezbollah.