VIDEO: Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister speaks on the escalating unrest in the Middle East

SARAH FERGUSON: Israel and Iran have traded waves of attacks over the last 24 hours with explosions heard over Tehran and Israel targeting energy sites inside Iran. While Iranian ballistic missiles targeted central and southern Israel. 

The breach of the two–-month–old truce in the war with Iran came despite President Donald Trump reportedly telling Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from attacks. 

Tehran warns it plans on carrying out the full week of continuous strikes on Israeli targets. 

These attacks raise questions about whether Israel and US interests in Iran are diverging. 

Sharren Haskel in the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister. She joins my now. Sharren Haskel, welcome to 7.30. 

SHARREN HASKEL, ISRAELI DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER:  Hi Sarah. Thank you for having me. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  Did Israel carry out the strikes in Iran today in defiance of the wishes of President Trump? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Well, look Sarah, the fact is that Iran has broken the ceasefire numerous times and I'm quite surprised on the patience that President Trump has shown to Iran. 

Just yesterday they've attacked in Kuwait, they've attacked American forces, they attacked previously last week in the UAE and many other Arab countries. 

And I have to tell you, Sarah, a ceasefire is not just a one–sided ceasefire, when one party can continue to attack. So, when Iran broke again the ceasefire and attacked Israel with ballistic missiles, when our children have spent the night in shelters with alarms, being terrified from those ballistic missiles, we have the right like any country to defend our people, defend our country and to respond to it. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  Now, at the same time, we understand that President Trump, he said publicly, that Israel should not retaliate. We don't know what he said privately. Did the US approve the strikes or not? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Look, the fact is that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are very, very close. They speak on a daily basis probably numerous times a day and a lot of the conversations are being among them and not within the media. 

President Trump understands Israel's needs of security, and he understands when a country attacks you with ballistic missiles, that you need to defend your people. 

And I have to say, even this morning again, alarms again, here in Jerusalem, here in the north, in the centre of Israel, because they continue to attack us. 

We reserve the right like any sovereign nation in the world, I mean if Australia would have been attacked by ballistic missiles, I can't even think that the Australian government wouldn't send a clear message back that this is absolutely unacceptable. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  But when you say that Israel is operating under its own sovereign decisions, does that mean the answer to my question is yes, that Israel chose to do these strikes against the wishes of the US President? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Look, the relationship and the co–operation between the US and Israel are extremely close. We cooperate together because we understand what is at stake. 

What we are doing together is about humanity, it is about defending the free world against a fanatical regime. We do this cooperation together and I have to say, if we do have disagreement and it's very good that the two leaders, the Prime Minister and the President, don't do it over the media but they discuss it themselves. 

And sometimes those conversations are quite heated but in general we work together in close collaboration. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  Now Donald Trump says that he is the one who calls the shots on the peace process with Iran. Is that right? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Look, it is a direct negotiation between Iran and the United States. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  And Israel, sorry. Let me just... 

SHARREN HASKEL:  We're not negotiating with the Iranians. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  I understand. I guess the point of the question is, Donald Trump says he calls the shots in the peace process. Is he doing that excluding the wishes of Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  I think in many cases the media is trying to show as if there's some kind of rift or problems between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Trump. It's not the case. 

The goals are not, President Trump is looking after American interests. He understands what the meaning of the Iranian fanatical regime continuing to hold hostage almost the entire world. 

When he speaks about a peace agreement or negotiation towards a ceasefire, where he puts the issues of the Strait of Hormuz in one of the first places, the nuclear Iranian program in the first place, moving out the uranium enriched material. These are mutual interests. 

We want to create a safer future, a more stable reality here in the Middle East and we all understand this is what needs to happen in order for that to take place. 

And so, you know, we give a full backing to President Trump on those issues. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  One of the previous recent points of contention was over Israel's continued bombardments in Lebanon against Hezbollah. Now in this case we understand, and Donald Trump doesn't deny that, that he called the Prime Minister of Israel "f–ing crazy" over those continued attacks. How, then, would you describe the relationship between the US and Israel with this what seems to be another part of a series of disagreements? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  So, as I said before, there's many attempts of the media to try to put something in between them, but the fact is, that they speak as good friends and good allies should and very openly. 

It's not being conducted over the media, but between the two leaders. Now, as I said, sometimes some of these conversations are quite heated and we truly understand also why. I think in general with what is happening with the ceasefire and the process towards peace or towards co–operation between Israel and Lebanon is extremely important. 

President Trump put immense effort to try to pave a path so that the Lebanese government and the Israeli government can do an historic step of maybe peace and co–existence. This is amazing. President Trump is really committed to it. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  That is clearly... 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Let me finish the sentence please. He has put the highest strength in his administer to do those direction negotiations. So when Hezbollah is constantly defying the decisions of a sovereign Lebanese government because they are listening to the puppet master in Tehran and when Hezbollah is constantly attacking us, every single day, killing our people, bombarding our cities and our towns, he understands our position as well. 

But when he asked to give one more chance, okay, to try to renegotiate and re-talk, obviously we're very open and we are listening and we want that. 

We want stability between Israel and Lebanon. We do not want a war because that is not wanted and that's why they continue to attack us. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  If I may just understand the current position of the Israeli government – will you continue attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, whatever Donald Trump says? 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Look, it is very clear, even with the new ceasefire agreement, that we've signed with the Lebanese government, that when Hezbollah will attack Israel, we will respond. 

And we respond directly on strategic assets of Hezbollah, on specific terrorist personnel from Hezbollah and not just general areas not Lebanese governmental facilities, but we target specifically Hezbollah to weaken it. You know why? This is in the interest of Israel and it is in the interest of the government of Lebanon to weaken the Iranian army that have destroyed this country, for decades now. 

SARAH FERGUSON:  I think I'm going to take that answer as a yes to continued attacks on Lebanon. That's all we have time for, however. Sharren Haskel, thank you very much indeed for joining me today. 

SHARREN HASKEL:  Thank you very much, Sarah.