Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied claims that he tried to persuade US President Donald Trump to resume military strikes on Iran during their recent meeting at the White House. Speaking to ABC News, Netanyahu said the two leaders laid out three different options regarding tensions with Tehran and that Trump would make the final decision.
The Israeli prime minister listed the three possibilities discussed: negotiating a more comprehensive deal with Iranian officials, maintaining the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, or taking additional military steps. "We analyzed all three possibilities and the decision is Trump's," Netanyahu said, describing his relationship with the US president as a "partnership."
Netanyahu, who used the phrase "Trump and I are partners; he is the senior partner, I am the junior partner," nevertheless stressed that he would not hesitate to take steps he deems necessary for Israel's security. "I am the prime minister of Israel, and when I need to defend my country's interests and security, I do so," he said.
Expressing skepticism about Iran, Netanyahu accused Iranians of "always lying, deceiving, and stalling." "Let's see if diplomatic and economic pressure can change Iran's attitude," he added.
Netanyahu said that Iran is "weaker now than ever before" but that he does not think the regime has collapsed. The Israeli prime minister noted that Iran's capacity to turn the flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz into a pressure tool "cannot be predicted with certainty," and warned that it would be a "big mistake" for Iran to target Israel, adding that Israel would respond "very forcefully."
Netanyahu noted that ensuring Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons under the current regime is the goal, and that he and Trump agree on this. He also expressed concern about a "shift" in US support for Israel due to the spread of social media.
Netanyahu accused some unnamed countries of using "bot farms and other tools" to manipulate, and suggested a direct link between the spread of social media and the decline in support for Israel. The Israeli prime minister added that he wants bipartisan support (Republican and Democrat), which he sees as a "fundamental pillar" for national security.
The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu took place at the White House last Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the meeting as "positive and productive" in a post on X. The closed-door meeting was also attended by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Photos released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office showed the participants.
Meanwhile, a group of protesters gathered outside the White House during Netanyahu's visit to protest the Israeli prime minister's trip to Washington.
