US President Donald Trump reportedly gave a sharp warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a fresh round of missile exchanges between Israel and Iran raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East. According to Axios, Trump told Netanyahu on Monday, “Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.” The warning came as Israeli officials told the outlet that Netanyahu had been preparing what would have been Israel’s most intense bombardment of Iran since April. However, the planned military operation was reportedly called off following Trump’s intervention.
Missile Exchange Between Iran And Israel
The latest tensions followed Iran’s launch of a wave of missiles at Israel over the weekend. Tehran said the strikes were in response to Israeli attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
As the situation threatened to spiral further, Trump publicly urged both countries to end military operations. Writing on Truth Social on Monday, the US President issued a blunt message, warning that both sides must “immediately stop shooting.”
Shortly afterward, both Israel and Iran indicated they were willing to return to peace arrangement. However, each side maintained that it reserved the right to resume attacks if provoked.
Trump-Netanyahu Relationship Under Strain
Trump had already sought to underscore his position in the US-Israel relationship a day earlier.
Speaking to the Financial Times on Sunday, he said, “I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots.”
The remarks followed reports that the White House had recently leaked details of an angry exchange between Trump and Netanyahu. According to those reports, Trump described the Israeli leader as “crazy,” suggested that he did not know what he was doing, and told him that “everybody hates you now.”
The latest warning highlights growing strains between Trump and Netanyahu as efforts continue to pursue peace negotiations involving Iran.
Iran Follows Through on Retaliation Threat
Before the Beirut strike, Tehran had warned that it would retaliate if Israel attacked targets in Lebanon.
Following the Israeli operation, Iran acted on that threat and launched missiles toward Israel.
Axios reported that Trump spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday evening and urged him not to retaliate against Iran’s missile attack. However, Netanyahu reportedly ignored that request.
In response to the escalating situation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced military operations against Iranian targets.
“The Israeli Air Force struck military targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran,” the IDF said in a statement on Sunday.
Among the locations targeted was an Iranian petrochemical facility in Mahshahr, located in the country’s southwest.
Also Read: Iran-US-Israel War LIVE and Latest Updates
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
