Netanyahu pressing Trump to bomb Iran immediately after midterms – Axios
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urging US President Donald Trump to order a military attack on Iran immediately following Tuesday's midterm elections, according to Axios.
The call took place a day before Axios published its report and was first mentioned by the Wall Street Journal. An Israeli source described the conversation as 'tough,' while an American official characterized it as 'direct,' revealing the strained nature of the discussion between the two leaders.
According to the sources, Trump informed Netanyahu that he intends to give negotiations between Washington and Tehran a chance before considering military action. This approach has reportedly concerned the Israeli prime minister, who is facing difficult coalition negotiations after his right-wing bloc failed to secure a parliamentary majority in Israel's election last month.
Immediate Strike Pressure
US journalist Tucker Carlson claimed on Monday that the US 'may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran' under pressure from Netanyahu, who he said 'calls Trump about it every day.' According to Carlson's sources, Netanyahu specifically wants an American strike on a facility at Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran, where Israeli intelligence believes Iran has restarted its nuclear enrichment program.
We can do that in 10 minutes. We have that planned. You can look at Pickaxe Mountain. We need to take care of that.
Diplomatic Efforts
Last week, US Vice President J.D. Vance sent a letter to Iranian national security chief Mohsen Rezaei with an offer to restart talks, which had been stalled for several months. On Sunday, Iranian negotiators left Doha after three days of exchanging messages with Americans via Qatari mediators.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the discussions focused on a seven-step plan Tehran proposed in September, with the possibility of accelerated implementation if an agreement is reached. He emphasized that Iran's terms 'are reasonable and logical' and that no final agreement can be reached unless the US naval blockade ends and Iran's demands are respected.
Military Preparedness
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered the military to prepare for 'an immediate and effective response, without geographical restriction' if the Islamic Republic is attacked again, according to a statement released by his office on Saturday.
Despite Trump's threats, the Pentagon inspector-general warned in September that the conflict in the Middle East has resulted in 'strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply.' The Wall Street Journal reported that Tehran's missile and drone strikes have inflicted up to $15 billion in damage to US bases in the region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to facilitate the settlement between Washington and Tehran, telling Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff that 'the possibilities for diplomacy are far from being exhausted' and that reaching an agreement with Tehran is both possible and necessary.
Related
