Donald Trump’s appeal to Benjamin Netanyahu to “not to strike back” after Iran launched missiles at Israel appears to have been unsuccessful after the Israeli military said it struck targets inside Iran.
The US president made the plea after Iran responded to Israeli strikes on southern Beirut in Lebanon earlier on Sunday, as the conflict again threatened to spiral into a broader regional war.
The Israeli military said its air force struck military targets in western and central Iran but did not elaborate. The White House did not respond to messages about the strikes and whether they were done in coordination with the US.
Earlier, Trump once again claimed Iran talks were “close” to a final deal, telling Axios: “I don’t want it to blow up because of what’s happening now,” Trump added.
He also said: “I’m about to call Bibi right now and tell him not to respond. Both of them have already done their part. Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one.”
Here are the key stories of the day:
Iran official says US bases are ‘legitimate targets’ after Israeli strikes on Beirut
The speaker of Iran’s parliament and top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said US bases and assets in the region had become “legitimate targets” after the Israeli strike on Lebanon.
A senior Iranian official has promised a “decisive and painful” response to Israel’s airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and, a few hours later, sirens sounded across northern Israel.
Trump walks out of NBC interview after clash over election claims
Trump walked out of an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press after he repeatedly made false claims that the US 2020 presidential elections was rigged in 2020 and questions around compensation for those charged in the January 6 insurrection. Trump’s abrupt exit came during a tense exchange between himself and NBC’s Kristen Welker during a Friday interview in Wisconsin that aired on Sunday.
Trump reportedly considers buying Chagos Islands from Mauritius
Trump is reportedly weighing a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius amid stalled plans from the UK to cede sovereignty of the territory, the Telegraph first reported.
The White House did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on the report about the potential plan. Under the reported proposal, the Trump administration would sidestep UK officials and purchase the island, securing control of the US-UK Diego Garcia military base.
Hegseth accused of ‘grotesque stupidity’ over invasion link in D-day speech
Pete Hegseth has been accused by historians and rights campaigners of “grotesque stupidity” and desecrating the memory of the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy after he sought to link immigration to the D-day anniversary, saying Europe was facing a different “invasion” of its shores.
Speaking in north-west France on Saturday to mark the 82nd anniversary of the D-day landings, the US defense secretary seized on the moment marking the wartime liberation of Europe to reiterate the US administration’s longstanding attack on European immigration policies.
Trump refuses to rule out using axed $1.8bn to pay Capitol rioters
Trump declined on Sunday to definitively rule out compensating individuals who were charged with assaulting police officers when his supporters attacked the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 toward the end of his first presidency.
Analysis: As US turns 250, Trump adds fuel to battles over monuments and memory
Disputes provoked by public monuments, flags and symbols are intensifying as the US’s 250th birthday approaches next month, and none are so contentious as those proposed by Donald Trump.
What else happened today:
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 6 June 2026.
