Netanyahu warns Israel may face Iran alone amid Trump's diplomatic push

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cautioned that Israel must be prepared to confront Iran independently, even without American backing. This warning comes amid growing concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump might impede any Israeli military response to further Iranian provocations.

Sources cited by The Jerusalem Post suggest that Israeli leadership fears the Trump administration may not support even limited or symbolic strikes against Iran, especially as Washington pursues a diplomatic deal with Tehran. During a politico-military cabinet meeting, Netanyahu reportedly stated, "We may have to strike without American support, despite all the costs such a decision entails. We do not wish to reach this situation, but we know we have the capability to do so."

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We may have to strike without American support, despite all the costs such a decision entails. We do not wish to reach this situation, but we know we have the capability to do so.

These remarks followed a phone call between Netanyahu and Trump shortly after an Iranian ballistic missile attack. Israeli media sources indicated that while Trump did not explicitly ask Netanyahu to refrain from retaliation, he clearly conveyed a desire for a measured response, reportedly telling Netanyahu, "We are close to a deal."

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We are close to a deal.

Israel did launch strikes on Iranian targets, including radar systems, air defense batteries, and weapons production facilities, the evening of the call. However, a more extensive military operation, reportedly involving approximately 50 aircraft and targeting strategic Iranian sites, was subsequently abandoned after further discussions between Trump and Netanyahu. The U.S. president apparently conveyed that Tehran had signaled an intention to halt attacks and expressed strong opposition to a large-scale Israeli operation.

Israeli officials now worry that the U.S. administration's focus on reaching a diplomatic agreement could lead Washington to oppose even limited Israeli military responses in the event of future escalation. A source familiar with the discussions told The Jerusalem Post that "visible progress" had been made in negotiations between Tehran and Washington earlier that week.

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visible progress