An urgent phone call between United States President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brought a fragile reprieve to fighting in the Middle East after Israel and Iran traded strikes and threatened to re-ignite a wider regional war.
Ceasefire Shattered
A tenuous ceasefire, in place since April 7, was shattered on Monday after Israel defied a warning from the US President and launched retaliatory strikes on several Iranian facilities. The attacks prompted an immediate response from President Trump, who demanded both sides "immediately stop shooting." White House officials confirmed the President then called Mr Netanyahu directly, although they refused to disclose what was discussed.
Trump's Strong Words
President Trump branded the Israeli Prime Minister "f**king crazy" during a heated conversation last week in which the US leader had told Mr Netanyahu to cease strikes in Lebanon as they risked torpedoing peace talks with Iran. Mr Netanyahu, who has repeatedly vowed Israel would continue targeting Tehran-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, subsequently called off a series of planned attacks.
Israel's leader again halted further strikes following his call with President Trump on Monday, but in a defiant video address posted to social media he insisted operations in Lebanon would continue if Hezbollah carried out further attacks. He added if Iran made the "mistake" of carrying out its own strikes Israel would "respond forcefully."
"Israel has a full right to self-defence and we exercise it to the extent necessary," Mr Netanyahu said.
Peace Talks at Risk
The Israeli leader's decision to carry out strikes on Iran played out as President Trump continued to insist a deal to permanently end the war with Iran was close, despite limited evidence of progress in peace talks. Israel has been sidelined from the discussions, despite jointly beginning the war, and Mr Netanyahu's decision to carry out a retaliatory attack came in the wake of fierce domestic criticism that the Prime Minister was effectively ceding sovereignty by restricting Israeli military actions to sustain negotiations without a seat at the table.
For its part, Iran has repeatedly insisted any agreement to end the war must also include a full end to Israel's operations in Lebanon. Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, suggested President Trump's failure to rein in Israel proved the US was "neither seeking a ceasefire nor dialogue."
Iran's Stance
In the wake of Monday's exchange of fire, Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, suggested President Trump's failure to rein in Israel proved the US was "neither seeking a ceasefire nor dialogue." He also pushed back against suggestions a deal to end the war was close, adding Iran had "no trust" in the Trump administration and would seek to end the US blockade of its ports.
"We are not going to either just fight or just negotiate," Mr Qalibaf said in a Telegram post. "Rather, we are going to fight at our own time and negotiate at our own time. Our goal is the end of the war and stable security and we have no trust towards the opposing party."
With Reuters
