Netanyahu’s Long Game
Trump Iran airstrikes follow decades of Netanyahu warnings about Iran’s nuclear threat to Israel’s existence. He has now at last found a U.S. leader who is prepared to take action in President Donald Trump.
In spite of his campaign pledge to put a stop to “endless wars,” Trump ordered destructive attacks on three of Iran’s nuclear sites, joining Israel in its long-running shadow war against his country. Netanyahu called it a “bold decision,” praising Trump for helping deliver a strategic blow.
Trump’s Shift From Peace to Power
Trump’s initial foreign policy stance centered on reducing American military entanglements. Yet his first term included the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a Syrian airstrike, and the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. These incidents hinted at a more aggressive posture when national interests were perceived as threatened.
With Iran’s nuclear facilities again in the headlines after Israeli strikes, Trump escalated things by authorizing bunker-busting bombs on Iranian targets, all while warning Ayatollah Khamenei on social media.
The Push Toward Confrontation
The IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, said Iran had increased uranium enrichment since the U.S. pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal. Though U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly assessed Iran wasn’t close to developing a bomb, Trump indicated he wouldn’t allow them the chance to try.
His rhetoric shifted sharply after June 13, when Israeli attacks killed high-ranking Iranian military figures. By June 17, Trump openly threatened Iran’s supreme leader.
Netanyahu Finally Gets His War Partner
Netanyahu has long sought U.S. support in neutralizing Iran’s nuclear threat. His warnings go back to the 1990s. Each American president, from Clinton to Obama, resisted calls for a full-scale strike. Trump, however, responded with force.
Even amid bipartisan division in the U.S., Trump’s alignment with Netanyahu has redefined American policy in the region. Whether this marks the start of a broader military campaign or a prelude to new diplomacy remains uncertain.
Regime Change or Just a Warning?
Despite Vice President JD Vance’s assurances that regime change is not the goal, many in Washington suspect Trump’s true intent is to push the clerical regime toward collapse. His threats, choice of targets, and rhetoric suggest more than a mere warning.
Time will tell whether this move leads to a lasting power shift in Tehran or drags the U.S. into another prolonged conflict.
Source: USA Today
