Trump urges Iran to halt missile launches
Washington: US President Donald Trump urged Iran to stop launching missiles at Israel and return to negotiations after Tehran fired a fresh barrage of ballistic missiles.
“What I would suggest to Iran: You’ve shot your missiles, that’s enough,” Trump told Fox News. “Get back to the table and make a deal.”
Trump also claimed that Washington and Tehran had been close to reaching an agreement before Iran launched the missiles earlier in the day, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We’re very close. I would say an agreement would be signed on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week. And now this takes place,” he said.
“It’s certainly not going to help negotiations,” Trump said.
In another interview with US media outlet Axios, Trump said he will call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and press him not to retaliate for Iran’s missile attack.
“I am going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate. Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike, and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one,” Trump said.
According to CNN, Iran fired at least 10 ballistic missiles toward Israel in at least three separate waves on Sunday. The Israeli military said all of the missiles were intercepted.
Two Israeli sources cited by CNN said Israel would deliver a “powerful” response to the attack, raising concerns about further escalation in the region.
The Israeli military said Sunday night that Iran has so far fired four missile barrages towards the country.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The missiles have triggered sirens across northern Israel.
Effi Defrin, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said Sunday that Iran has made “a grave mistake” by firing missiles at Israel, adding that the military is prepared for more possible missiles.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is holding a situational assessment and “approving plans for the next steps,” Defrin said, without elaborating.
Following the Iranian attacks, Israel’s Home Front Command tightened civil defense restrictions across the country, banning gatherings of more than 200 people in open areas.