United States President Donald Trump has urged Iran and Israel to cease their attacks after both nations resumed direct aggressions for the first time since a truce was established two months ago. “Israel and Iran must immediately stop the ‘firing,’” Trump wrote on his social media platform following fresh strikes between the two rival countries.
In recent days, Trump has admitted to differences in opinion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that Israel’s insistence on bombing Lebanon and now Iran could disrupt ongoing negotiations for a deal with Tehran. The U.S. President has been projecting the imminence of a peace agreement with Iran since negotiating a ceasefire on April 8 to allow for talks mediated by Pakistan.
The United States and Israel originally triggered the war with a joint offensive launched against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded by firing at countries in the region and blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint through which one-fifth of the world’s petroleum products typically pass.
Read more about this topic: Iran War: Trump asks Israel not to respond to Tehran’s attacks (with video)
The resulting surge in global prices caused by the Middle East conflict has made the war increasingly unpopular in the United States. Trump’s falling approval ratings have generated growing concern among Republicans ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November.
The war has resulted in thousands of deaths, primarily in Iran and Lebanon. Lebanon was pulled into the conflict by the pro-Iranian Lebanese group Hezbollah, which initially attacked Israel in solidarity with Tehran.
Israel has since refused to decouple Lebanon from the ceasefire framework negotiated between the United States and Iran, while Tehran demands an immediate end to the Israeli intervention against Hezbollah.
