JERUSALEM POST
By asking Trump to delay Iran attacks, Netanyahu exposes Israel’s air defense holes
Yonah Jeremy Bob
January 18, 2025

The stunning revelation that part of why US President Donald Trump called off, or at least paused, any American attack on the Iranian regime was a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exposes a gaping, relatively new hole in Israel’s otherwise stellar multilayer air defense shield. The IDF sent more than a dozen messages in a matter of days about how it was ready and how strong its air defense capabilities are, only for Netanyahu to privately tell Trump the opposite. There were likely a variety of reasons that Trump canceled or postponed attacking the Iranian regime, and there were multiple reasons why Netanyahu also pushed him in that direction. But with it strongly appearing that a significant reason was not being ready for a potential Iranian ballistic missile strike, the whole idea of what it means for the IDF air defense to be prepared needs to be revisited. READ MORE

JERUSALEM POST Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln en route to Middle East as US mulls over Iran strike options Iran tensions escalated on Sunday, with foreign reports over the past two days citing US carrier movements, bomber activity at Diego Garcia, and reinforced air defenses across the Gulf, according to multiple regional and American media accounts. The moves, reported since late Friday, came as US officials and regional militaries coordinated on contingency planning for possible Iranian retaliation. No official US confirmation was available on the reported deployment of guided-missile submarines.