BURSTPresident Trump on Tuesday unleashed on the Israelis and the Iranians, expressing his displeasure at continued fighting between the two adversaries after he announced the parameters of a ceasefire the day before.
“We basically, we have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing,” Trump told reporters at the White House before taking off for a trip to The Hague for the NATO Summit.
In a Truth Social post around the same time, Trump singled out Israel, in a remarkable move for the U.S. president, telling the longtime American ally: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”
Trump told reporters at the White House he was going to see if he could “stop it” when asked about the continued attacks lobbed by both sides overnight after parts of the ceasefire were to be put in place.
“They [Iran] violated it but Israel violated it too,” Trump said. ”I’m not happy with Israel.”
Trump’s public criticism of Israel marked a significant departure from the policy of former U.S. presidents, including Trump previously, who have steadfastly stood by its longtime ally.
Both Israel and Iran accused the other of continuing attacks overnight.
Israel on Tuesday morning, a few hours before Trump’s comments to reporters, said that it will respond with force because Iran violated the ceasefire, CNN reported. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the country will “continue the intensive operation to strike” Tehran.
Meanwhile, an Iranian missile strike hit a residential building in Beer Sheva, Israel before the just ceasefire was set to go into effect, killing four people, according to CNN.
Trump on Monday night announced the parameters of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, indicating that Iran would stop the fighting first, followed by Israel and that all fighting would end in a matter of 24 hours. He expressed confidence in a Truth Social post that the end of the fighting between the two countries, which he dubbed “the 12 day war” would stick.
He later told NBC News Monday night he believed the ceasefire between the two bitter rivals would last “forever.”
Updated 7:28 a.m. ET