Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants a new round of Netanyahu Iran strikes, and he wants them soon. He is pushing President Trump to hit Iran again right after Tuesday’s midterm elections, two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press on Monday.
Israel is a close ally, and Iran is a real threat. Still, the decision about American bombers belongs to the American president. Right now, Trump is making the right call by letting the talks play out from a position of strength.
Key Takeaways
- Netanyahu is pressing Trump to launch a quick but extensive air campaign against Iran after the midterms, according to officials who spoke to the AP.
- Trump does not appear to have made a decision, and he says he would rather let negotiations play out.
- Qatari mediators are working on a framework: Iran stops attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. lifts its blockade of Iran’s ports.
- Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations denies that Netanyahu is pressing Trump.
- Oil fell about 7% on Monday as hopes for a deal grew.
What We Know About the Netanyahu Iran Strikes Push
The story first surfaced in an Axios report about a weekend phone call between the two leaders. Then the AP confirmed the outline on Monday. According to CBS News, citing the AP, one official said Netanyahu is working with senior U.S. officials to persuade Trump to launch a quick but extensive air campaign. However, the same official said the president does not appear to have made a decision.
Meanwhile, the talks are still alive. Qatari mediators held two rounds with Iranian officials last week, and more talks are planned this week. Other Gulf allies are warning against new strikes. They fear the Houthis in Yemen would step up attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping.
Israel, for its part, says it is not pushing anyone. “Prime Minister Netanyahu is not pressing President Trump. President Trump knows exactly what he wants to achieve and how he wants to achieve it,” Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said, Iran International reports.
Netanyahu Has Politics of His Own
There is a second reason to read the timing carefully. Netanyahu and his allies lost their parliamentary majority in last week’s Israeli election. According to the AP, a return to full-scale war could help him form an emergency government.
To be fair, that does not mean his warnings about Iran are wrong. Iran has spent eight months attacking ships and threatening its neighbors. Even so, an ally’s coalition math should never set the clock for American military action. America First means our leaders weigh our interests first, every time.
Trump Holds the Leverage
Right now, the pressure is working, and it is the best answer to calls for new Netanyahu Iran strikes. The U.S. blockade is squeezing Iran’s ports. Also, Iran’s own officials are warning of gas shortages this winter. No wonder Tehran is now offering a two-day plan to reopen Hormuz.
Trump has kept the threat on the table. On Sunday he said, “Either they’ll make a deal, or we’ll just end it.” That is the right posture. Iran should know that the hammer is real, and it should also know that the door is open.
Markets noticed. Brent crude fell 7.4% to $105.03 a barrel on Monday on hopes of a deal, CBS reported. For families paying for gas and groceries, that matters.
What a Good Deal Must Include
Of course, a deal is only worth signing if it stops the threat. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not enough. Iran still has to answer for its nuclear program, including the suspected nuclear complex at Pickaxe Mountain that Trump cited on Saturday.
In addition, any relief should come in steps that Iran has to earn. Iran’s terms include frozen assets, sanctions relief, and an end to fighting on every front. Those are big asks while the shooting goes on. In fact, British maritime officials counted 30 attacks on commercial ships in the region in October alone, a record, CBS reported.
The Bottom Line on Netanyahu Iran Strikes
In the end, Israel can make its case, and America should listen. But the call on Netanyahu Iran strikes belongs to Trump, not to a coalition crisis in Jerusalem. Trump said Monday that “we had to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon”, and that is still the goal. If peace through strength can get there without another air war, that is a win. Read more in our take on Trump’s final midterm speech.
What do you think? Should Trump give the talks more time, or strike after the midterms? Tell us in the comments.
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