Trump Netanyahu Iran: New Strikes Won’t Affect Deal, Trump Insists

Trump & Netanyahu & Iran – (Web Desk) – Trump Netanyahu Iran tensions have taken a new turn after US President Donald Trump made it very clear that he is the one leading peace talks with Tehran, not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump said plainly in an interview with the Financial Times, he calls all the shots. He added that the latest Israeli and Iranian strikes will not stop or slow down the peace deal he is working on.

Israel launched fresh strikes near Beirut on Sunday, hitting the Dahiyeh area, a known Hezbollah stronghold. Netanyahu said the strikes were a direct response to Hezbollah rocket fire toward Israel.

Hours later, Iran fired a round of missiles at Israeli targets. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they aimed at the Ramat David air base near Nazareth. The Israeli military said its defense systems intercepted the missiles.

Oil prices jumped more than two percent on Monday morning after the exchange of strikes, with Brent crude rising back above 95 dollars a barrel.

Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone on Sunday for about half an hour. According to a US official quoted by Axios, Trump asked Netanyahu to hold back from more strikes, saying a good deal was very close.

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said his forces had not been directed to strike Iran yet but would do so with full force once ordered.

Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf said US bases and Israeli targets are fair game because of what he called violations of the Lebanon agreements.

Trump told NBC News in a separate interview that Washington and Tehran are very close to a deal. He added a strong warning, saying if a deal falls through, he will respond with full force.

Israel has never paused its Lebanon campaign since the wider war began. Hezbollah says it will not lay down its weapons until Israel stops its attacks and pulls out of Lebanon completely.