Trump Speaks with Netanyahu After High-Stakes National Security Meeting on Escalating Iran-Israel War
Two Israeli officials told Axios that Netanyahu and Israel’s defense establishment firmly believe Trump may move forward with strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in the coming days.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening following a critical meeting with his national security team to assess the rapidly intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, Axios reported, citing an Israeli official.
The high-level meeting, held in the White House Situation Room, lasted roughly an hour and 20 minutes. It came amid mounting indications that Trump is seriously weighing a potential U.S. military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, particularly the underground enrichment site in Fordow.
According to three U.S. officials who spoke to Axios ahead of the meeting, Trump is no longer simply evaluating defensive support for Israel but is considering direct offensive involvement, marking a significant potential escalation. The president returned early from the G7 summit to address the crisis, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that he wasn’t seeking a “ceasefire” but rather a “real end” to both the war and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump’s series of posts on Truth Social ahead of the meeting underscored his uncompromising posture. “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” he wrote, warning Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against attacking American forces or civilians. “Our patience is wearing thin,” he added, before concluding another post with a stark declaration: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”
While the White House has reportedly explored the possibility of diplomatic engagement with Iranian officials this week, Trump told reporters any such move “depends on what happens when I get back” to Washington.
Two Israeli officials told Axios that Netanyahu and Israel’s defense establishment firmly believe Trump may move forward with strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in the coming days.
Thus far, the United States has limited its role to assisting Israel in intercepting incoming missile attacks but has refrained from participating in offensive operations. However, the shift in tone from both Trump and senior administration officials suggests that it may soon change.
Vice President J.D. Vance responded to growing concerns among some of Trump’s conservative base about possible U.S. involvement in another Middle East war. In a post on X, Vance defended Trump’s approach, saying the president had shown “remarkable restraint” but may decide that “further action” is necessary to halt Iran’s nuclear enrichment.
The call with Netanyahu reportedly centered on strategic coordination and the potential implications of an expanded U.S. military role in the region. The conversation is the latest in a series of high-level contacts between Washington and Jerusalem as fears grow that the Israel-Iran conflict could spiral into a broader regional war.
