President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would personally urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel, warning that another round of attacks could threaten a fragile ceasefire and derail negotiations with Tehran.
“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 told Axios in an interview.
The Iranian missiles were fired after Israel conducted a strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, escalating tensions in a region already balancing on the edge of renewed conflict. The attack marked Iran’s first direct assault on Israel since an April 8 ceasefire took effect.
Israeli officials said the incoming missiles were intercepted and that no casualties were reported.
Trump sought to downplay the significance of the Iranian response while pressing Israel to show restraint.
“The Iranian strikes didn’t hurt anybody,” he said.
He allegedly laid into the Iraeli prime minister.
"You're f****** crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your a***. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
That's what a U.S. official tells Axios President Trump unloaded on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a heated… pic.twitter.com/JyehxI6QrP
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 2, 2026
The president warned that an Israeli counterattack could trigger another prolonged cycle of violence and undermine efforts to reach a broader agreement with Iran.
“Hopefully Israel is not going to retaliate. If Bibi strikes them back, it’s just gonna keep going like the last 47 years — or the last 3,000 years,” Trump added. “We are very close to a final deal with Iran. It is going to be a good deal. I don’t want it to blow up because of what is happening now.”
Trump’s intervention represents a notable public effort to restrain Netanyahu at a volatile moment. An Israeli operation against Iran would become considerably more difficult without American support, particularly logistical assistance such as aerial refueling.
A U.S. official told Axios that Washington was not involved in the latest escalation.
“We are not part of this,” the official said.
Another official confirmed that Trump had spoken with Netanyahu.
Despite the president’s appeal, Israeli military officials appeared to be preparing for a possible response. The Israel Defense Forces said the military’s chief of staff was reviewing operational plans.
“The Iranian regime has made a grave mistake,” IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. “We will not allow the Iranian regime to establish a new equation. We will continue striking Hezbollah targets in Beirut.”
