Israel presses Trump to resume military action against Iran after US midterms

Signs are mounting of a possible return to military confrontation between the United States and Iran, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressuring US President Donald Trump to resume military operations after the US midterm elections. This comes amid regional diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching an agreement to prevent renewed conflict.

Channel 12 in Israel quoted US officials as saying that Netanyahu is urging the Trump administration to reconsider the military option against Tehran after the elections, while mediating countries continue their efforts to bridge the gap between Washington and Tehran and reach a settlement to end the escalation.

These pressures follow a recent meeting at the White House, where Trump met with top US military leaders to discuss options for resuming large-scale combat operations in the region, according to The Wall Street Journal.

US-Israeli military coordination

Highlighting the sensitivity of the current phase, Channel 12 cited Israeli officials describing these days as highly sensitive, noting that senior Israeli military leaders are in daily, intensive contact with their US counterparts to monitor military and security developments related to Iran.

According to the officials, any potential military operation against Tehran may differ in terms of the scale of forces used and the nature of the targets compared to previous operations, amid intensive dialogue and operational coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv to identify achievable military objectives.

These moves coincide with diplomatic efforts led by several countries, including Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt, to push negotiations between the US and Iran toward an agreement that would reduce tensions and prevent a resumption of military confrontation.

Trump: Iran wants a deal but cannot be trusted

For his part, US President Donald Trump reiterated that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon, noting that Tehran wants to reach an agreement with Washington.

Trump said negotiations are progressing well, but expressed skepticism about Iran's position, adding that Iranians "are not very trustworthy" and tend to back out of agreements after reaching them.

Trump also claimed that Iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed, suggesting that dealing with one or two remaining sites is still possible, and that the US could carry this out within ten minutes, in his estimation.

Election calculations weigh on Trump's decision

These developments come as Trump seeks to rally Republican voters ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for November 3, amid the fallout from the Middle East conflict, which is facing criticism within the US due to rising fuel prices and waning enthusiasm among some Republican supporters.

These factors place the US administration at a crossroads: on one hand, Israeli pressure to resume military operations, and on the other, regional and international efforts to reach an understanding with Iran to prevent renewed confrontation and a wider conflict.