Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly urging US President Donald Trump to launch another wave of military strikes against Iran following Tuesday’s US midterm elections, even as diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider conflict continue.
According to regional officials and a person familiar with the matter, Netanyahu is pushing for a swift but extensive air campaign against Iran. Trump, however, has not committed to military action and has continued to express a preference for a diplomatic solution.
The renewed push comes after Netanyahu and his far-right allies lost their parliamentary majority in last week’s Israeli elections. A return to full-scale war with Iran could potentially help the Israeli prime minister form an emergency government.
Regional officials said diplomatic efforts have made progress, with Qatari mediators holding two rounds of talks with Iranian officials last week. The discussions reportedly aim to establish a framework under which Iran would cease attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its blockade on Iranian ports.
Further talks are planned for this week.
Netanyahu reportedly pressed Trump for renewed strikes during a phone call over the weekend. Trump later described the conversation as “very good”, saying the two leaders had discussed Iran without providing further details.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the administration preferred a diplomatic resolution, adding that Trump had not yet made a decision.
Other US allies in the Middle East have warned against renewed military action, arguing that it could destabilise the region and trigger retaliatory attacks by Iran-backed groups, including Yemen’s Houthi rebels and militias in Iraq.
Iran has maintained that it remains prepared for both diplomacy and conflict. Its new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has warned that any threat from the US or Israel would invite an immediate response.
Meanwhile, Gulf nations have expressed concern over escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks on commercial shipping increased in October.
China has also announced plans to send a special envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November, calling for dialogue and warning against turning the Gulf into an arena for geopolitical conflict.
Source: Associated Press
