Despite Trump’s call, Israel launches airstrikes in Iran after ceasefire

ISTANBUL

Israeli warplanes launched a new round of airstrikes inside Iran after a ceasefire on Tuesday, despite US President Donald Trump’s call for Tel Aviv not to attack Tehran.

Fighter jets struck a radar installation near the capital, Tehran, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency confirmed Israeli airstrikes in Babolsar, a coastal city in northern Iran’s Mazandaran province.

State-run Press TV also reported that two explosions were heard in the north of Tehran following Israeli airstrikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claimed that the strikes came in response to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire.

“Following President Trump's conversation with Netanyahu, Israel refrained from additional attacks. During the call, Trump expressed his enormous appreciation for Israel,” the office said in a statement.

Trump earlier denounced Israel for striking Iran in violation of the ceasefire.

“I’m not happy that Israel’s going out now. There was one rocket that I guess was fired overboard [by Iran]. It was after the time limit, and it missed its target. And now Israel’s going out. These guys gotta calm down. Ridiculous,” Trump said.

“I didn’t like plenty of things I saw yesterday. I didn’t like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal. They didn’t have to unload. And I didn’t like the fact that… The [Iranian] retaliation was very strong. But in all fairness, Israel unloaded a lot.”

“And now I hear that Israel just went out because they felt [the deal] was violated by one rocket that didn’t land anywhere. That’s not what we want, I’ll tell you. And I’m telling you, I’m not happy about that, Israel, either.”

“All I do is play both sides.”

Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran overnight after 12 days of aerial combat between the two arch-foes.