A massive snub… Netanyahu ignored Trump’s call and fired missiles at Iran.

New Delhi: Amidst ongoing talks to halt the conflict between the US and Iran in West Asia, Israel has opened a new front. After Iran fired missiles at Israeli cities in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Lebanon, Netanyahu’s forces unleashed a fierce counter-attack on Tehran. Israel has destroyed several Iranian military bases.

Israel has announced a nationwide closure of schools, a move seen as an indication of a prolonged conflict. Amidst this flare-up in the Israel-Iran conflict, US President Donald Trump has become a major topic of discussion. Trump had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone.

Trump had called Netanyahu and urged him not to launch a retaliatory strike. He noted that no one had been harmed in the Iranian attacks and expressed hope that Israel would refrain from retaliation. Despite Trump’s objections, Israel unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles at Iran.

This has led to speculation that Benjamin Netanyahu is not heeding even US President Trump. Trump had warned that if Netanyahu attacked again, the cycle of conflict would continue—much as it has for the past 47 years, or indeed the last 3,000 years. He claimed that a final agreement with Iran was within close reach.

The US President stated that he did not want the current events to derail this potential agreement. Earlier, Trump had also expressed displeasure regarding Israel’s attack on Lebanon, stating he was unhappy about it. He had advised Iran, “You have fired your missiles; now it is time to stop.” Trump had also advised Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach an agreement.

Trump stated that the US military was on alert. He remarked that he had expected the agreement to be signed by Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, but this new development has since occurred; nevertheless, they remain very close to a deal. Notably, the Israeli military had claimed—in a post on the social media platform X—that it had attacked Iranian military targets.

Confirming the attacks, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported that sounds of explosions were heard in the capital, Tehran, as well as in Isfahan and Tabriz. However, Iran’s Ministry of Urban Development stated that no attacks had taken place in any of the country’s urban areas. The ministry added that there were no reports of fires anywhere.