Media: Israel may strike Iran with Trump’s approval

Donald Trump started his presidency with a vision of being a peacemaker.

He articulated this goal in his inaugural address, stating that his administration “will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars we end, and perhaps most importantly, by the wars we never get into”, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Later that day, he celebrated the success of the hostage cease-fire deal in Gaza, even bringing the families of Israeli hostages to the inaugural parade.

“We’re getting a lot of people out in a short period of time,” he proudly declared. There is no question that Trump played a key role in securing the cease-fire deal. However, to truly be a peacemaker who reshapes the Middle East, he still has significant work ahead of him. The main challenges he faces are Gaza and Iran. In Gaza, Israel and Hamas have differing perspectives on what is necessary to achieve the second phase of the deal, which aims to free the remaining hostages and establish a lasting cease-fire. Meanwhile, Iran is ramping up its nuclear program, with Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, noting that Tehran has its “foot on the gas pedal.” This continues to pose an existential threat to Israel.

Both of these issues are expected to be key topics of discussion in upcoming talks between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Trump can—and may need to—tackle each issue individually. Both are significant in their own right, and Iran’s nuclear program remains one of the greatest global security threats. If Iran acquires nuclear capabilities, Saudi Arabia is likely to follow suit, escalating the dangers in an already volatile region. However, the simplest approach to handling both Gaza and Iran might be to address them together. Netanyahu is reluctant to move towards a permanent cease-fire, partly because he fears it could lead to the collapse of his government and prompt early elections. 

But for the Israeli Prime Minister, preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is of utmost importance. It has been the core focus of his political career. For instance, Netanyahu once stated in Knesset that halting Iran's nuclear program is the reason he gets up each day. The more Trump demonstrates his willingness to collaborate with Israel on Iran, the easier it will be for Netanyahu to make tough choices regarding Gaza. That doesn’t mean Trump needs to rush into military action. 

He has signaled his willingness to negotiate with Tehran, and during his campaign, he repeatedly promised to pursue a maximum-pressure strategy to stop Iran's nuclear program. He is likely to use economic leverage to reach an agreement. However, it does suggest that Trump should make it clear to both Netanyahu and Tehran that he will support Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure if diplomacy fails. By agreeing to back Israeli military action, Trump would increase the chances of successful US diplomacy with Iran, as Iranian leaders would understand the severe consequences of failure. 

For Netanyahu, having a US-backed strategy for handling what he sees as Israel’s most crucial—even existential—threat would make it easier for him to make the tough political decision to fully implement the hostage deal and push for a permanent ceasefire. If successful, this approach would allow the Trump administration to end the war, open up new possibilities for Israel’s relations with Arab nations, and most importantly, address the threat posed by Iran—one of the United States' and Israel’s most dangerous foes in the Middle East.

By Naila Huseynova