US-Iran war strains Trump-Netanyahu relationship as interests diverge
The US-Iran war, now nearing 100 days, has exposed growing divergences between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump seeks a phased end to the conflict and wants to keep the Lebanon front separate, while Tehran insists on linking the two. Netanyahu fears a deal that would leave Iran's enriched uranium intact and its regime emboldened.
The US-Iran war, approaching 100 days, has exposed growing divergences between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Trump seeks a phased end to the conflict while Netanyahu fears a deal that would leave Iran's enriched uranium intact and its regime emboldened.
Trump described the conflict as a "petite excursion" (small excursion), but the White House is still seeking a memorandum of understanding with Iran, which controls the Strait of Hormuz. Trump wants to separate the US-Iran conflict from Israeli operations in Lebanon, but Tehran refuses to delink the two conflicts.
Netanyahu fears a deal that would leave Iran's enriched uranium intact, even if buried underground, and that Iran could gain access to frozen funds abroad under a deal, emerging emboldened from the conflict.
Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and expert at the Atlantic Council, said: "Donald Trump souhaite mettre fin progressivement à la guerre avec l’Iran et éviter que le Liban ne cause une nouvelle escalade du conflit." Shapiro added that Trump wants Gaza to remain calm and possibly see improvement if a formula for disarming Hamas is found. Shapiro said for Netanyahu it is politically damaging to leave three fronts unresolved with weakened but still present enemies.
The rift comes as Hezbollah last week rejected a US-brokered Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, with fighting continuing, and after Israel ordered strikes on Beirut suburbs and captured Beaufort Castle as a ceasefire collapsed.