Netanyahu Ignores Trump’s Warnings and Launches Operation Against Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have decided to act against Washington’s warnings, authorizing a large-scale strike targeting not only Iran’s nuclear program, but also ballistic missile facilities, military leadership, and key scientists. Preliminary reports suggest the operation was far broader than what U.S. officials and allies had feared.

The strikes came just hours after Trump, speaking to reporters, insisted that an attack was unlikely in the near term and that diplomacy still had a chance—despite Netanyahu’s longstanding view that it had failed. "I would prefer a deal. As long as I think it's possible, I don't want them starting an operation, because I think it could ruin everything," Trump said. "Then again, maybe it helps. But maybe it blows it all up."

Netanyahu’s decision all but guarantees a response from Iran and risks triggering a new escalation in the Middle East. It further complicates an already fraught foreign policy agenda for the White House and raises questions about Trump’s ability to keep even close allies in line—let alone adversaries like Russia or China.

Immediately after the strike, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement emphasizing that the United States had no involvement in the Israeli operation. He also warned Tehran against seeking retaliation by targeting American personnel or interests.

"Israel has informed us that it considers these actions necessary for self-defense," Rubio said.

According to Fox News, which cited a phone interview with Donald Trump, the president was not caught off guard—he was aware of the operation in advance and had been briefed on Israeli plans before the strikes began. The network reports that Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone several times in recent days.

"Iran must not possess nuclear weapons, and we still hope to return to the negotiating table. We’ll see," Trump said in the interview with Fox News. He added, "Some members of the Iranian leadership definitely won’t be coming back to the table."

During his first campaign, Trump promised to end what he called the “failed military adventures in the Middle East.” His key advisers—Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, once seen as a leading hawk on Iran—have both declared that the era of U.S. wars in the region is over.

Nevertheless, in recent weeks Trump had resumed contact with Tehran, discussing the possibility of limiting Iran’s nuclear program. Both Washington and Tel Aviv continue to insist on a complete halt to enrichment, while Iranian authorities view uranium enrichment as a sovereign right.

Israel’s strike, however, throws the prospect of a diplomatic resolution back into doubt. Despite Washington’s statements denying involvement, the U.S. now risks being drawn into a new escalation in the Middle East. Tehran has already vowed a "harsh blow" against both Israel and American interests in retaliation for the operation.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch stated that if Iran targets U.S. interests, "American service members will undoubtedly rise to the challenge," and urged Tehran to return to nuclear negotiations with Washington as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, criticism of Israel’s strategy is growing louder within the policy community. "Netanyahu’s war has undermined President Trump’s stated commitment to diplomacy," noted Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. According to him, Netanyahu "presented Trump with a fait accompli" and is testing whether the president will dare to push back.

This is a particularly inopportune moment for the Trump administration: the ongoing trade war with both allies and rivals has triggered global uncertainty and raised the risk of recession in the U.S. and worldwide. Immediately following the strike on Iran, oil prices surged on Asian markets, amplifying the threat of an inflationary spike—the very outcome Trump had previously blamed on his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Since Israel’s founding in 1948, the United States has been its principal ally and military benefactor—from the Yom Kippur War in 1973 to the recent assistance in countering Iranian missile and drone attacks. Even amid sharp criticism of Israel’s campaign in Gaza, the U.S. has continued arms shipments and financial support.

Matthew Kroenig, senior director at the Scowcroft Center of the Atlantic Council, noted that Israel is technically capable of conducting such an operation on its own—but added, "I doubt Israel would have moved forward without tacit approval from the Trump administration."