Israel Strikes Iran to Assert Its Role in Peace Talks
In a bold move that openly defied U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel launched renewed strikes on Iran on Monday, signaling its determination to be included in peace negotiations from which it has been excluded. The strikes, the first since a ceasefire in April, followed Iranian missile attacks that Tehran claimed were retaliation for Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Trump had publicly urged Israel to hold fire, but Israel pressed ahead, delivering a clear message to Washington that any final agreement with Iran must consider Israeli interests. "If it tramples too heavily on Israeli interests, Israel can overturn the table," said Danny Orbach, a military historian at Hebrew University.
Trump Excludes Israel From Negotiations
Trump, who initiated the conflict alongside Israel in February, has been pursuing a negotiated settlement with Iran while keeping Israel at arm's length. He has repeatedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid actions that could derail the talks, including refraining from strikes in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March to target Hezbollah. Iran has insisted that it will not agree to any peace deal unless a ceasefire also holds in Lebanon.
Last week, Netanyahu called off airstrikes on Beirut after a tense phone call with Trump, who later admitted calling the Israeli leader "fucking crazy" but said they still got along. Netanyahu's domestic critics accused him of surrendering sovereignty by limiting military actions to sustain U.S. negotiations without a seat at the table.
Israel Seeks To Retain Ability To Attack In Lebanon
After Israel's strike on Lebanon on Sunday and Iran's retaliatory fire, Trump declared the exchange over, stating, "Each of them had their fun." However, Israel concluded that only by striking Iran directly could it establish that Iran should not dictate Israeli actions in Lebanon. A senior Israeli defense official explained that Israel could not accept a scenario where Iranian strikes were seen as justified retaliation for Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Netanyahu convened top security officials to discuss goals of a short-term escalation, including ensuring that any future U.S.-Iran deal would not limit Israel's right to attack Hezbollah in southern Lebanon or keep troops deployed there. Netanyahu raised these concerns in phone calls with Trump over the weekend.
Israel Cannot Sustain Long Iran Air Campaign Alone, Analysts Say
The brief resumption of hostilities and Netanyahu's defiance of Trump highlight the strains between the two conservative leaders. Privately, Netanyahu has acknowledged difficulty influencing Trump's thinking on Iran, telling aides he has "no maneuver" to steer the president's decisions. Although Israel can strike Iran without U.S. support, military experts warn it cannot sustain a prolonged air campaign alone. "There's no doubt that Israel cannot go alone in this war for a long, long time, because the ammunition is consumable," said Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies.
Netanyahu has not made public comments since the strikes resumed. His office did not respond to a request for comment.
