President Donald Trump said he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice to urge a halt to military attacks [1].
These statements signal a potential shift in U.S. military support for Israel, suggesting that the U.S. may withhold intervention if Israeli operations continue despite presidential warnings.
Speaking in an interview with Axios reported earlier this week [1], Trump said that if Israel does not stop its attacks, it will be left to fight Iran alone [1]. The president said that five Gulf states have requested that Israel halt its airstrikes [1].
Trump also addressed the nuclear ambitions of Iran. He said that Iran would agree to abandon uranium enrichment and the possession of nuclear weapons as part of a major deal [1].
To ensure a final agreement is reached, Trump threatened a sea blockade of Iran [1]. He said the potential operation would be an unprecedented blockade carried out by the U.S. Navy [1].
"This is an unprecedented blockade. The US Navy is playing that role and we have the best military in the world," Trump said [1]. "There has never been a military like this before and there will never be one again," he said [1].
Trump said that his primary goal is to secure a cease-fire to prevent Israel from facing Iran without U.S. assistance [1]. He said that a comprehensive agreement would lead to the end of Iran's nuclear program [1].
“If Israel does not stop its attacks, it will be left to fight Iran alone.”
The administration is leveraging the threat of military isolation for Israel and economic strangulation for Iran to force a diplomatic resolution. By referencing the requests of five Gulf states, Trump is aligning US policy with regional Arab interests to pressure Netanyahu into a cease-fire while simultaneously using the US Navy as a tool for nuclear non-proliferation.
