Trump orders Netanyahu to halt Iran strikes as Israel and Iran pause attacks; Lebanon raids and Houthi threats continue

A wave of attacks between Israel and Iran that erupted overnight was pulled back from the brink after a series of tense phone calls between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump demanded an immediate end to the shooting, warning Netanyahu that ignoring the call could leave Israel “alone against Iran.” Following the conversations, both sides announced they had ceased direct strikes, but Israel continued to bomb Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, and Yemen’s Houthis declared a ban on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea.

The Trump-Netanyah u call

Trump acted after Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel in support of Hezbollah, which had earlier exchanged fire with Israeli forces. Israeli officials told Channel 12 that Netanyahu had already approved a “large-scale” retaliatory operation against Iran. In a first call, after the White House expressed displeasure at Israeli reprisals on Hezbollah targets in Beirut, Trump urged Netanyahu not to respond to the Iranian salvo. “The Iranians have violated our sovereignty. We must draw a red line,” Netanyahu countered. Trump replied that he would not give Israel “the green light.” Some participants described the exchange as a directive from the American president.

I told Bibi he better be very careful about what he does, because he could find himself very soon alone against Iran.

A second conversation followed after Israel launched limited strikes on Iranian territory. Netanyahu justified the strikes by asserting that Israel “knew an attack on Iran would not lead to a large-scale war,” a claim that reportedly puzzled US officials given the shelved plans for a much broader operation. Trump, for his part, later posted on Truth Social: “Everyone got their satisfaction. Israel did its attack and Iran did its. No need for another.”

A pause, not an end

Late on Monday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared an end to its operations but threatened “harsher and more devastating attacks” if Israel resumes bombings in southern Lebanon. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned that if the “American-Zionist coalition crosses the line again, the region will become hell for them.” Netanyahu confirmed that “at the moment the fire has ceased, because after we hit the terror regime in Tehran, it stopped attacking us,” but insisted the battle “is not over” and that Israel retains “the full right to self‑defense.”

At the moment the fire has ceased, because after we hit the terror regime in Tehran, it stopped attacking us. The battle is not over.

The Lebanese front endures

While direct Iran‑Israel strikes were paused, Israeli warplanes kept hitting targets near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, with reports of destruction in the centers of Al‑Burj al‑Shamali and Al‑Maashouk. Arab media reported at least five dead in Tyre. Tehran had signalled through the Trump administration that it was ready for a ceasefire if Israel stopped attacking Lebanon, but Israeli operations there continued. Netanyahu stressed that Israel will keep destroying Hezbollah infrastructure in the security zone.

Houthi escalation at sea

Iran‑backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a ban on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, vowing to target any Israel‑affiliated vessels and warning that “escalation will be met with escalation.” The move adds a strategic maritime dimension to the crisis.

Cracks in Netanyahu’s coalition

Inside Israel’s security cabinet, the American demand exposed fault lines. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir argued for resisting US pressure and setting “red lines” vis‑à‑vis Washington. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed shifting military focus to Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut to boost Israel’s leverage in broader regional talks. Netanyahu pushed back against the hawks, defending coordination with the US. “We are on the same wavelength as Trump,” he reportedly said, noting that the president is not releasing frozen Iranian funds and remains focused on securing nuclear material. “Why should we seek a clash with him?”

We must resist American pressure and set clear red lines.

Analysts viewed the episode as a political bind for Netanyahu. By briefly defying Trump, he could show his increasingly restive base that he does not fully submit to Washington, a narrative useful ahead of a tough re‑election fight. But the rapid halt under US pressure also projected an image of deep Israeli dependence on the American president for war‑time decisions. Trump, for his part, insisted he is in control: “I decide everything.”