Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has privately urged US President Donald Trump not to go for a ceasefire with Iran at the moment and expressed concerns about the risks for such a move, according
to reports. This comes as Trump threatened to escalate the US campaign in Iran, as a deadline for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz will expire on Tuesday.
Citing an Israeli official, Axios reported that Trump told Netanyahu that if Iran agrees to the US demands, a ceasefire could happen. However, he stressed he won’t give up on his demand that Iran hand over all of its enriched Uranium and agree not to resume enrichment.
This came after Netanyahu emphasised that Israel will continue to target and kill senior figures within Iran’s leadership, as part of a broader campaign to weaken what he described as the regime’s core capabilities. He said Israeli forces were “systematically dismantling” Iran’s infrastructure, including destroying factories and targeting operatives.
Differences Between US, Israel
Earlier reports suggested that the US and Israeli objectives for the war had differed. Axios reported that the US is focusing almost exclusively on military targets, and Israel is also conducting high-level assassinations and taking other steps intended to lay the groundwork for regime change.
However, Trump has repeatedly opposed Netanyahu’s attack on energy infrastructure. US National Intelligence chief said Trump’s objectives are to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile launching capabilities, while Israel is focused on taking Iran’s clerical leadership and push for regime change.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Trump said he told Netanyahu that if the United States hadn’t launched the operation on Iran, Israel and vast parts of West Asia. would have been wiped out.
Trump Mum On Ceasefire
Trump promised strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure if Tuesday’s deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not met, adding that he is “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes. He also refused to comment on whether the US operations in Iran are winding down.
“I can’t tell you — depends what they do. This is a critical period,” he said when asked about a possible ceasefire. “Now we’ll see what happens. I can tell you they’re negotiating. We think in good faith. We’re going to find out.”
However, Trump did mention that Iran is an “active, willing participant” in negotiations to potentially end the war. “They would like to be able to make a deal. I can’t say any more than that.”
