US President Donald Trump told Israel's Channel 12 that he warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against escalating the exchange of fire with Iran into a full-scale war, according to a Monday evening report.
"I told Bibi, you'd better be careful what you do, because you could be left alone against Iran very soon," Trump said.
On Sunday, Trump asked Netanyahu to avoid striking Iran in retaliation for the recent Iranian missile attack on Israel. That conversation ended without a clear agreement, and Netanyahu did not tell Trump his final decision on the matter, according to a Monday report by Channel 12.
Later, Netanyahu consulted with defense establishment heads and then informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he had decided to attack Iran. Trump told Channel 12 that "the Israelis gave us an update at a very late stage. They were already on their way to Iran."
"I was able to reduce the scale of the attack," the US president said.
Trump also told Channel 12 that five countries from the region, which are also involved in mediation efforts between the US and Iran, asked him to pressure Netanyahu to stop the attacks and move forward with a peace agreement.
"This morning the Iranians approached us and said they would no longer carry out an attack on Israel," Trump said to Channel 12. "They asked us to tell Israel to stop attacking. I called Bibi and made him stop."
The US president emphasized in his conversation with Channel 12 that he is still open to a deal and that he believes Iran is also interested in coming to an agreement with the US.
Netanyahu says he won't allow for Iran, Hezbollah to establish 'new security paradigm for Israel'
Earlier on Monday evening, Netanyahu released a pre-recorded press statement, saying that he would not allow Israel's enemies to dictate the state's security paradigm.
"Israel has the full right to defend itself, and it will use that right as much as needed," the prime minister said, adding: "I say this to you as I say it with respect and appreciation to my friend President Trump."
Netanyahu also indicated that he was in contact with US President Donald Trump.
"I told Trump: 'Together, we will bring safety to the North.'"
Netanyahu 'won't have any choice' but to accept Iran deal, Trump tells FT
The US president also told the Financial Times on Sunday that Netanyahu "won’t have any choice" but to accept a deal with Iran.
“I call the shots. I call all the shots," said Trump. "He doesn’t call the shots.”
Trump reiterated to the FT that Sunday's attacks will not affect his decision-making on an Iran deal. “The deal may make it on its own merit, or not, but this will not have any effect on it,” he said.
Trump added that he would consider a ground raid on Iran if negotiations failed.
“It means two things,” said Trump. “Number one, it would mean that possibly we would go in and take care of the rest of the place that we didn’t take care of militarily. Or it would just mean that we would keep the blockade on Iran because the blockade has been probably more powerful than any attack that was ever made on that country.”