US President Donald Trump warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel could find itself isolated if it resumed large-scale military action against Iran, according to comments Trump made to Axios following a tense 24-hour period of escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran.
“I said, ‘Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,'” Trump told Axios, underscoring his growing concern that renewed fighting could derail efforts to secure a diplomatic agreement with Tehran and drag the United States deeper into a regional conflict.
The warning came after Israel struck targets linked to Hezbollah in Beirut on Sunday, triggering an Iranian missile response against Israel and raising fears of a broader war. Trump, who has spent months pushing for a deal with Iran, reportedly urged Netanyahu not to retaliate further, arguing that a breakthrough in negotiations could be reached within days.
According to US and Israeli officials cited by Axios, Trump faced a difficult balancing act. While recognizing Israel’s need to respond to Iranian attacks, he was also concerned that continued tit-for-tat strikes could spiral into a full-scale regional war.
Despite Trump’s objections, Netanyahu informed the White House that Israel would proceed with limited strikes. Israel subsequently targeted facilities in Iran, prompting Tehran to launch another wave of missiles toward Israel. While the US military did not take part in the attacks, it assisted Israel in intercepting incoming Iranian missiles, according to US defense officials.
As tensions mounted, Trump held another call with Netanyahu and pressed him to halt plans for a larger wave of attacks against Iran. Israeli officials said Netanyahu ultimately agreed to stand down if Iran refrained from further strikes.
Trump also claimed several countries in the region had contacted him urging restraint and said Iranian officials had signalled through intermediaries that they were prepared to stop attacks if Israel did the same.
NETANYAHU DEFENDS MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH
In a televised address on Monday, Netanyahu said Israel had successfully thwarted what he described as an imminent Iranian nuclear threat and significantly weakened both Iran and Hezbollah through a year of military operations.
The Israeli leader said a preemptive strike against Iran a year ago had prevented Tehran from obtaining atomic weapons and reiterated that Israel would never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear bomb.
Netanyahu also claimed Hezbollah had been preparing a large-scale assault on northern Israel involving thousands of fighters and a massive missile barrage. He said Israel had foiled the plan, killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and continued dismantling the group’s military infrastructure, including underground facilities in southern Lebanon.
According to Netanyahu, Iran and Hezbollah are now weaker than ever, while Israel has emerged stronger. However, he stressed that the conflict is not over and accused both Iran and Hezbollah of attempting to establish a “new equation” by launching attacks against Israel from Iranian and Lebanese territory.
He said Israel responded by striking Hezbollah targets in Beirut following cross-border fire from Lebanon and by targeting military and economic sites inside Iran after Iranian strikes on Israel.
Netanyahu said Israel was currently holding its fire because Iranian attacks had ceased following Israeli operations, but warned that any renewed aggression from Tehran would be met with an “overwhelming force” response.
Reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defence, Netanyahu said he had conveyed the same message in discussions with Trump and vowed that Israel would continue acting with determination to restore security, particularly along its northern border.
DIVERGING PRIORITIES
The developments highlighted growing differences between Washington and Jerusalem over the future course of the conflict. While Trump has repeatedly argued that a diplomatic agreement with Iran is within reach, Netanyahu has maintained that failing to respond forcefully to Iranian actions would project weakness and undermine deterrence.
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