Netanyahu: Decision on Iran rests with Trump, Israel ready to respond forcefully to any attack
Netanyahu told ABC that Washington will make the final call on whether to press the confrontation with Tehran, while reiterating Israel’s goal to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC that any decision to escalate the confrontation with Iran ultimately rests with U.S. President Donald Trump, and that Israel stands ready to reply forcefully to any attack.
Options on the table, decision in Washington
Netanyahu said that during recent talks in Washington officials discussed several possible paths forward: continuing negotiations with Tehran, maintaining a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, or launching a new military offensive. He stressed, however, that the final choice is in the hands of the U.S. president, whom he described as the architect and director of American strategy.
The prime minister expressed skepticism that Iranian leaders are prepared to sign a genuinely binding agreement, suggesting Tehran may be attempting to buy time despite strong diplomatic and economic pressure.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel's primary objective remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — a goal he said he shares with President Trump — and warned that Israel would respond strongly if attacked.
On the strategic value of the Strait of Hormuz, he predicted its importance will decline over time as new energy routes develop that bypass the strait and link to the Red Sea and then the Mediterranean.
Photo: EPA-EFE/SAMUEL CORUM / POOL
