Iran has turned down a proposal it says came from President Donald Trump — one intended to prevent Tehran from retaliating against Israel following a strike on Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s Dahieh district. According to a report from N12, Iran warned that its response against Israel could arrive “before dawn.”
The rejection came even as President Trump publicly voiced criticism of Israel’s military operation in the Lebanese capital, while at the same time expressing hope that a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict could still be reached on Sunday.
Citing Iranian statements, N12 reported that Tehran brushed aside the proposal and made clear it plans to act. “Trump offered us money in exchange for overlooking the attack. We rejected it — we will respond very soon. We will not betray our allies,” Iran said, in a reference to Hezbollah.
Additional warnings followed from Iranian officials. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated, “The response is near,” while a separate statement declared: “Our finger is on the trigger, ready to fire at the heart of the enemy.” Officials also claimed that Iran’s military strength had grown under the leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei.
As the situation intensified, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that all air traffic in western Iran had been halted until further notice.
Inside Israel, the Home Front Command moved to restrict public gatherings to no more than 5,000 people.
Fighting continued along the Lebanese front as well. The Israel Defense Forces reported that one soldier suffered moderate injuries and a second was lightly wounded after rockets were launched at Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon. The military also noted impacts both inside Israel and in areas where soldiers are stationed in southern Lebanon, along with reports of additional suspicious aerial objects near the Lebanese border.
President Trump was sharply critical of the strike on Dahieh, which took place while diplomatic efforts were still underway. According to Axios, Trump said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “no —-ing judgment.”
In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated: “A deal will be signed within two or three hours. I told Netanyahu — what the hell are you doing?”
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that the attack “should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran.” He also called on “all sides” to “stand down … Let’s not blow it!”
