Israel-Iran latest: Trump orders Israel ‘do not drop those bombs’ as he accuses both sides of violating ceasefire – UK Times

US president Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Israel is not going to attack Iran and all planes will turn around and head home.

“All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

A report from Axios appears to contradict this, claiming that Trump called Netanyahu to ask him not to attack Iran.

Netanyahu said the attack would not be cancelled, but scaled back, Axios reported.

President Donald Trump called Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and asked him not to attack Iran, an Axios reporter said in a X post on Tuesday, citing an Israeli official.

Netanyahu told Trump that he was unable to cancel the attack and that it was needed because Iran violated the ceasefire, the Axios reporter said.

The attack would be significantly scaled back and would not hit a large number of targets but only strike one target, according to the report.

Here’s our full article on Donald Trump’s raging comments at Israel and Iran earlier.

The Independent’s US political reporter Joe Sommerlad brings the report:

Political editor David Maddox reports:

The prime minister has just landed in the Hague for the Nato conference where he is speaking to journalists about the latest developments regarding Iran and Israel.

With a ceasefire announced by Donald Trump last night, Sir Keir as confirmed that he spoke to the Emir of Qatar this morning after Iran’s missile attack on the country yesterday.

Asked about the ceasefire Sir Keir said: “Well, I want the ceasefire to continue, and therefore, obviously, the sooner we get back to that, the better. And that’s the message that I’m discussing with others leaders today. We need to get back to that ceasefire, which is consistent with what I’ve been saying about deescalation for quite some time now.

“I should just say that I exchanged messages with the Emir of Qatar yesterday as well in relation to the attack yesterday.”

In scathing comments outside the White House on Tuesday morning, Donald Trump has hit out viciously at both Israel and Iran.

The US president appeared visibly furious as he accused both sides of violating a ceasefire.

Here are his fierce quotes about Israel and Iran:

Trump has now issued a direct order to Israel, who earlier vowed to respond with strength to what it called Iranian ceasefire violations.

“Israel. Do not trop those bombs,” he demanded in a post on Truth Social.

“If you do it is a major violation. Bring your pilots home, now,” he added.

Donald Trump has weighed in on accusations by Israel and Iran of ceasefire breaches against each other, adding that he is “really unhappy” with Israel.

Both countries violated the ceasefire, he said.

He expressed his dismay with Israel, adding that he is “not happy” with Iran either.

Iran’s nuclear capacities are gone, he added while speaking to media.

Satellite pictures taken after the US military attempted to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities show significant damage to Tehran’s nuclear sites – but not necessarily to the extent claimed by Donald Trump.

The images indicated damage on the ground – including new craters, holes on mountain ridges and collapsed tunnels – but did not provide definitive proof the heavily fortified underground facilities were breached.

The US president had boasted that the nuclear facilities were “completely and totally obliterated” in the attack. “The biggest damage took place far below ground level,” he claimed. “Bullseye!!!”

The Kremlin on Tuesday pushed back against criticism that it had not done enough to back Iran, saying it had taken a “clear position” by condemning US and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.

President Vladimir Putin has condemned what he called “unjustified” US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, with which he signed a strategic cooperation treaty in January. He said on Monday that Russia would try to help the Iranian people, although he gave no specifics.

Iranian sources told Reuters earlier this week that Tehran had not been impressed with Russia’s support so far.

Asked about comparisons to the toppling last year of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, when Moscow refused to send troops or more air power to keep its ally in power, the Kremlin said some people were trying to spoil the Russian-Iranian partnership.

“Russia actually supported Iran with its clear position,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had appreciated Moscow’s stance when he met Putin on Monday.