Former U.S. President Donald Trump's first criminal trial began on Monday.

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports from New York.

Jury selection hadn't even begun in Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial when prosecutors asked the judge to fine him $3,000 over social media posts they say violate a gag order.

Trump called witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels "two sleazebags." Trump's lawyers say he was responding to their public statements and the posts don't violate the gag order.

Trump has pled not guilty to charges of falsifying business records as part of an alleged effort to keep stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.

At Criminal Court in Manhattan, I'm Julie Walker. Israelis awaited word on how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would respond to Iran's first-ever direct attack on their country as international pressure for restraint grew amid fears of an escalation of conflict in the Middle East.

Netanyahu on Monday summoned his war cabinet for the second time in less than 24 hours to weigh a response to Iran's weekend missile and drone attack, a government source said.

Israel's military chief of staff said the country would respond. He provided no details.

Israel remained on high alert but authorities lifted some emergency measures that had included a ban on some school activities and limits on large gatherings.

Iranians rallied on Monday in the capital Tehran, showing their support for its drone and missile attack on Israel over the weekend.