The United States and Israel went to war together to curb Iran’s nuclear program and destroy its missile industry. The goal was to stop Iran’s support for organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas and create an environment for the overthrow of the government in the country. But after 100 days of the war, relations between the US-Israeli alliance against Iran hit rock bottom last Sunday.
In recent weeks, Hezbollah has been wreaking havoc in northern Israel. In response, Israel has carried out a counterattack on Hezbollah’s Dahiyeh base in Beirut. However, the attack was largely a show of force. It is said that Israel carried out the operation without informing the Trump administration, despite its objections.
Iran had previously warned of retaliation. Accordingly, they fired about 10 missiles targeting northern Israel. No casualties or damage were reported. However, the attack again forced residents of the area to take refuge in bomb shelters in fear for their lives.
Israel is preparing to respond “strongly” to the Iranian missile attack, a senior official said on condition of anonymity. However, US President Donald Trump has ordered Israel to reconsider its decision.
Even before speaking to Netanyahu, President Trump told his favorite Israeli journalist, Barak Ravid, that Israel should not retaliate. “I’m calling Bibi (Netanyahu) right now,” Trump said. “I’m telling him not to retaliate,” Trump added, “Both sides have done enough. Israel has retaliated, and Iran has retaliated. We don’t need another conflict.”
Trump has repeatedly denied that Netanyahu dragged him and the United States into the war. But he has now made it clear that he wants to quickly end the ill-planned military campaign, which has yet to achieve any of the stated goals of the United States and Israel.
Trump still insists that he is waiting for conditions to ensure that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. But a leaked draft of his ongoing memorandum of understanding does not seem to provide any such assurance. Trump’s top priority now is to safely reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which he hopes will help ease the global energy crisis Tehran has created.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuReuters file photo
Even as Iran was attacking northern Israel, Trump was claiming he was close to a deal. Referring to a deal with the notoriously stubborn and deceitful regime, the US president said, “I would say a deal could have been signed by Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.” Trump expressed his annoyance, saying, “In the meantime, all this (retaliatory strikes) is happening.”
Trump’s order to “not retaliate” has left Netanyahu in a state of extreme uncertainty. He could have accepted the US president’s order and refrained from attacking. However, this risks undermining Israel’s defenses in the face of a triumphant Tehran. Such a decision would portray Israel as a weak country in the entire Middle East and undermine the country’s sovereignty. At the same time, such a move, just months before the election, could also shake Netanyahu’s political foundation.Read more
Netanyahu ‘has no choice’ but to accept deal with Iran
On the other hand, Netanyahu can disobey the US president’s orders if he wants. But in that case, a major war with Iran is almost certain to break out. And Israel may have to fight it out all alone.
The big question now is, has Iran become so confident and emboldened that it will go to great lengths to even confront a US president who is clearly seeking a compromise? That is, can Iran frustrate Trump enough to force him to go against his wishes and revive the military campaign that he ordered Netanyahu not to do?
Past and present actions suggest that Iran is not stupid enough to make such a mistake. In fact, they are very clever. As a result, the situation now stands where the US president is pleading with a rogue Iran. And Israel is caught in the middle.
In another interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump warned that if a deal is not reached with Tehran, he may strike at other targets or maintain the sanctions that are currently in place.
But Trump seems certain about one thing. Whatever deal he makes with Iran, Netanyahu will have to accept it. In this regard, he said, “There will be no choice when Bibi (Netanyahu) comes forward. I make all the decisions.”
But not in Iran, where Trump does not have that control.
