President Donald Trump personally warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday against expanding the conflict with Iran, prompting Israel to cancel a large‑scale operation that had been reaadied in the wake of intense Hezbollah‑Israel fighting. The intervention came as Iran‑backed Hezbollah intensified attacks on northern Israel, sparking a chain of retaliatory strikes that threatened to derail fragile U.S.–Iran nuclear talks.

Trump’s direct warning to Netanyahu on April 29

According to multiple U.S . and Israeli media reports, Trump told Netanyahu that a broader Israeli offensive could leave Israel without American backing .. The president emphasized that diplomacy could still succeed within days, and that a wider war would jeopardize ongoing negotiations aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Dozens of Israeli aircraft were poised for a "significantly larger" operation

Israeli officials said that before Trump’s call, Netanyahu had approved a follow‑on mission targeting strategic sites across Iran, with dozens of aircraft prepared for launch. The planned strikes would have hit Iranian air‑defense systems, missile infrastructure and other military facilities, representing the most ambitious escalation since the early‑April ceasefire.

Hezbollah’s missile barrage and Iran’s retaliation sparked the crisis

Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, prompting Israeli air raids on Beirut. Iran responded with a barrage of more than 20 ballistic missiles, which Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz described as a violation of the ceasefire and an attempt to create a new security equation linking Hezbollah’s actions to direct Iranian retaliation.

Who will verify Iran’s pledge to halt attacks?

The source notes that Iranian officials contacted the United States on Monday, saying they were ready to stop firing if Israel did the same, but no independent verification of that promise has been offered. Likewise, the five regional mediators who allegedly raised concerns with Trump have not publicly confirmed their involvement, leaving a gap in the diplomatic record.

What impact does the aborted strike have on U.S.–Iran nuclear talks?

Trump claimed the intervention helped keep the negotiations on track, but the source does not detail how the talks have progressed since the ceasefire was threatened. observers note that any renewed hostilities could still undermine the delicate balance that has kept Iran from advancig its nuclear program, but the immediate effect of the cancelled operation remains uncertain.