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Israel planned to strike Iran, but was held back by Trump
April 17, 2025

As Israel geared up for possible military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, the plan was thwarted in recent weeks by US President Donald Trump, The New York Times reported early Thursday. The obstruction came against the backdrop of contacts between Washington and Tehran on reaching a nuclear agreement, with a new round of talks expected for Saturday in Oman. According to the report, Trump made a decision on whether to support the offensive Israeli approach or to pursue diplomacy after long months of discussions. Among senior US officials, there was a significant debate as to whether military action would destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities and prevent a larger war. READ MORE

JEWISH INSIDER Netanyahu: ‘Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons’ Israel will ensure Iran does not attain a nuclear weapon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Thursday, following a report that President Donald Trump blocked an Israeli plan to strike the Islamic Republic in May.

JNS Yaakov Lappin:‘Israel must put its own military option on the table’ vis à vis Iran Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman, vice president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told JNS in recent days that in his assessment, “at least in Trump’s mind and in [special United States Middle Envoy Steve] Witkoff’s mandate, it is clear that the move [negotiations] must block Iran’s path to nuclear weapons so that the North Korean nightmare is not repeated.”