Middle East crisis live: Trump tells Israel and Iran to stop ‘shooting’ after countries launch first strikes since April ceasefire
Trump demands that Israel and Iran ‘immediately stop shooting’
In an extremely short post on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump demanded Israel and Iran to “immediately stop shooting”.
Trump has leaned on Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon to allow room for a deal to end the wider war with Iran. However, Israel launched strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday, apparently ignoring the US president’s warning not to.
Netanyahu, who is facing domestic political pressure to continue his war on Lebanon, particularly from far-right elements of his fragile coalition, is therefore derailing peace talks but escaping any serious reprimand for doing so from Washington.
Key events
Over in the UK, British prime minister Keir Starmer has said it was “really important that all parties get back to a ceasefire” in the Middle East after Israel and Iran attacked each other’s territory for the first time since the April ceasefire came into effect.
The prime minister said:
I am deeply concerned about the resumption of violence. It is really important that all parties get back to a ceasefire.
There are serious negotiations going on, towards a lasting peace. It’s really important that we give them ever chance of success because this conflict is already having a huge impact across the world, including here in the United Kingdom.
So I say to all parties, we all have a responsibility to get back to that ceasefire and it’s really important we’re very clear about that.
Iranian media is reporting that the country’s air defences shot down a drone over Tehran earlier today. It followed reports of several explosions being heard in the capital.
Mohammad Esmaeil Tavakoli, head of emergency services in Tehran province, was quoted by the Mehr news agency as having said that there were no casualties so far, and that authorities were investigating “two explosions”.
An Israeli military official said Iran has fired nearly 30 missiles towards Israel since Sunday night, adding that Yemen’s Houthi rebels separately fired two missiles at the country.
Gaza’s health ministry said in its latest update that at least 9 people were killed and 43 others injured in Israeli attacks across the territory over the past day.
The health ministry says 970 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the supposed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in October 2025.
It says that 72,980 people, many of whom were women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since October 2023, when Israel launched its assault on the territory following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
The Lebanese presidency has a statement from the US ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, after his meeting with Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, last night.
It said they discussed the US mediated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, with Issa praising the “effectiveness” and “high professionalism” of the Lebanese negotiating team.
He said Donald Trump follows developments in Lebanon extremely closely but acknowledged that negotiations may “take time” as all “issues” will probably not be resolved in a single meeting.
“What happened yesterday is a political message, and we in the United States have decided not to allow the confrontation to expand further,” Issa said, confirming that further negotiations are due to take place in Washington despite the fresh strikes.
“We have reached a point of no return; the ice has been broken, and we are continuing to help Lebanon emerge from its crisis.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (L) pictured with the US ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, at Baabda Palace, Lebanon, on 1 May 2026. Photograph: Lebanese Presidency Office/APAImages/Shutterstock
Hezbollah is not a party to the negotiations between Israel and the government of Lebanon. Despite being engaged in diplomacy with Lebanon, Israel is striking southern Lebanon and ordering mass evacuation orders on a near-daily basis.
Both Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly violated the US-brokered April ceasefire, which is a ceasefire in name only, much like the ceasefire in Gaza and increasingly the ceasefire with Iran.
Hezbollah has fired rockets and drones into northern Israel and against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon as it rejects pushes for its disarmament and Israeli occupation of large areas of southern Lebanon.
Trump demands that Israel and Iran ‘immediately stop shooting’
In an extremely short post on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump demanded Israel and Iran to “immediately stop shooting”.
Trump has leaned on Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon to allow room for a deal to end the wider war with Iran. However, Israel launched strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday, apparently ignoring the US president’s warning not to.
Netanyahu, who is facing domestic political pressure to continue his war on Lebanon, particularly from far-right elements of his fragile coalition, is therefore derailing peace talks but escaping any serious reprimand for doing so from Washington.
IDF says it expects several days of ‘fighting’ with Iran
The Israeli army said it is preparing for at least several days of “fighting” with Iran, or a prolonged “campaign”, according to a military statement being carried by the Israeli newspaper Hareetz.
It said the strikes are only being carried out by Israel, but noted there is “full coordination” with US Central Command, as the US military has helped in the interception of missiles fired by Iran at Israel.
The Israeli military said Hezbollah has not joined the fighting with strikes against Israel, but stressed it is ready for the possibility it may do so.
Here are some of the latest images sent to us over the newswires:
Fresh explosions reportedly heard in Tehran
We are seeing reports of explosions being heard in the Iranian capital of Tehran. We don’t have many details yet but will provide updates as soon as more information comes in.
The IDF said in a post on X that dozens of air force fighter jets have “completed an extensive strike” on “strategic defence systems” in Iran. There has been no official comment from Iran on this claim.
Diplomatic activity is continuing as regional concerns about the further unravelling of the US-Iran ceasefire intensify. The Qatari prime minister and foreign minister, sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, spoke with the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, earlier today, the Qatari foreign ministry said. During the call, they discussed US-Iran mediation efforts and the latest “developments” in Lebanon.
