Trump Delivers Short Demand to Israel, Iran

President Trump weighed in with a terse directive Monday as Israel and Iran traded major blows for the first time in months: The two "must immediately stop 'shooting,'" he wrote on Truth Social. Trump offered no details on how Washington might respond if they don't, reports the New York Times. The renewed violence threatens to unravel the shaky ceasefire that has paused the US-Israeli war with Iran launched in February, per the Wall Street Journal.

The latest round began Sunday, when Israel hit the outskirts of Beirut in its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah. Hours later, Tehran unleashed ballistic missiles at Israel, triggering sirens across central and southern parts of the country. Israel responded with airstrikes on western and southern Iran, including a petrochemical plant and air defenses. Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned of potential attacks on regional energy facilities, raising fresh concerns over oil markets. The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose more than 4% to $97 a barrel on Monday, reports CNBC.

Trump told Axios that he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and told him personally to stop the strikes. "I call the shots," Trump is quoted as saying of Netanyahu in the Financial Times. "I call all the shots. He doesn't call the shots."