As missiles flew and sirens wailed across multiple capitals on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump stepped in with a direct appeal for de-escalation.
Trump posted on Truth Social calling on Israel and Iran to “stop shooting.”
His intervention comes amid a rapid series of exchanges that began with an Israeli strike on Beirut and have since engulfed Iranian targets and Israeli cities.
“Both sides, Israel and Iran, are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations on “Peace” are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in their way,” Trump said in a follow-up posting.
“The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a “Final Deal” is reached. Things should move quickly,” he underscored.
Israel and Iran must immediately stop shooting — Trump pic.twitter.com/7wHpfCd1Ad
— Views&News (@ViewsNewsMag) June 8, 2026
The latest flare-up came as the U.S. and Iran were delicately poised on the verge of reaching a ceasefire deal.
Iran unleashed a volley of missiles toward Israel hours after Trump said on Sunday Washington and Tehran were “very close” to striking an agreement on ending the conflict that erupted on February 28.
Trump later posted an other post, saying both Israel and Iran are seeking an immediate ceasefire.
Trump says both Israel and Iran look for immediate ceasefire as final talks on peace are proceeding pic.twitter.com/u5qd8sG5qs
— Views&News (@ViewsNewsMag) June 8, 2026
Strikes and Counterstrikes Define a Volatile Day
Earlier Monday, Israel hit a petrochemical facility in Iran, while Iranian missiles activated air raid sirens across central and southern Israel.
The exchanges mark a dangerous new phase in the long-simmering conflict.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned Israel, signaling Tehran’s defiant posture as tensions spiral.
Iran launched several missile barrages toward northern Israel late Sunday, following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Israel subsequently struck western and central Iran, with explosions reported in Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz.
Iran Fires Missiles at Israel Following Israeli Attack on Beirut
Israeli Military Braces for Prolonged Fighting
Reuters reported that the Israeli army anticipates the military confrontation with Iran will continue for “several days” amid the back-and-forth attacks, according to Israeli media reports on Monday.
“The assessment within the Israeli army is that the confrontation with Iran will continue for several days,” Army Radio said.
In response, the army has begun preparations for a broad call-up of reserve forces.
U.S. forces across the Middle East remain vigilant and ready. pic.twitter.com/EG9ozG1BAQ
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 7, 2026
Meanwhile, Israel’s Home Front Command has tightened restrictions on gatherings and movement across the country until Monday evening.
The public broadcaster KAN reported that new instructions permit gatherings of up to 200 people in open areas and 500 people indoors, as long as attendees can reach a protected area within the required time.
Beaches have been closed to the public, though workplaces may continue operating if they provide access to protected areas within the necessary timeframe.
Tehran Points Finger at Washington
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei addressed the situation Monday, noting that Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in an atmosphere of “extreme suspicion.” Baghaei said Israel’s actions in Lebanon, whether carried out with U.S. knowledge and consent or not, were aimed at sabotaging diplomacy.
He said Washington, as a party to the April 8 ceasefire, bore direct responsibility for any violations, including attacks attributed to Israel, and he added that the world should be concerned about a broader regional conflict.
He indicated that the visit of Pakistan’s interior minister to Tehran on Sunday formed part of efforts to maintain indirect exchanges with Washington.
Separately, Baghaei stated that Iran would respond to any resolution against it at this week’s meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused Israel of starting “a dangerous game” by targeting civilian sites and oil industries. In a statement carried by the state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC said it launched a missile attack on Haifa in northern Israel in retaliation for an Israeli attack on Iran’s Mahshahr petrochemical firm earlier in the day.
Netanyahu Convenes Security Cabinet
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a Security Cabinet meeting Monday following the renewed airstrikes with Iran, Israeli media reported.
The meeting, attended by key ministers, is set for 11 am local time (1 pm PKT), according to The Times of Israel, citing an Israeli official.
What began as targeted strikes has quickly evolved into a multi-front test of wills, with global powers watching closely as the region edges toward broader instability.
Trump’s call to “stop shooting” underscores the urgent need for restraint before the conflict draws in even more players.
רק השבוע: הלוחמים שלנו כבשו את הבופור וחיסלו 350 מחבלים. אנחנו ממשיכים. pic.twitter.com/5MY2OpAX01
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) June 7, 2026
International Calls for Restraint
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Monday against any further escalation in the Middle East.
“Over the night we have seen escalation again. The region does not need an escalation, but actually that the parties sit down to a negotiation table and agree,” Kallas said ahead of a defense ministers meeting in Nicosia, the Greek Cypriot Administration.
Reaffirming that the EU could help facilitate efforts after a ceasefire, she said the immediate priority was securing a halt to the fighting.
“A ceasefire is very much wanted. Stopping this war right now, opening the Strait of Hormuz, and then using the time for longer discussions when it comes to the more difficult topics like nuclear issues and other critical matters that are there,” she added.
Houthis Join the Fray
Yemen’s Houthi group announced Monday it would impose “a complete and total ban” on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, declaring that Israeli-linked vessels would once again be targeted.
Kiran Asim is a writer who covers the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. Her reports and analyses look at the geostrategic issues and contemporary developments and their economic and political implications. She also writes about society and education.
