US President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday and exchanged many kind words, but their peace plan for Gaza did not make any headway.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The meeting between the two leaders was set with the aim of resolving several Middle East-related issues as the two sides attempt to guarantee regional peace and put an end to Israel’s war with Hamas.
After his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump didn’t mince words and gave a strong warning to Iran. He told if Iran dares to rebuild its nuclear facilities or ramp up its missile programme, the US would back or even lead decisive strikes. “We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them,” he told reporters–his tone a mix of resolve and reluctant hope.
This comes months after US airstrikes in June “obliterated” three key Iranian nuclear sites namely Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. It sparked a tense 12-day conflict that ended in ceasefire after Iran’s missile retaliation on a US base in Qatar caused no American casualties.
Echoes of June’s shadow war
The June strikes marked a bold US entry into the Israel-Iran shadow war, with Trump hailing them as a “remarkable military achievement” that neutralised Iran’s nuclear threat. Iran insists its programme is for peaceful energy, denying weapon ambitions, but Israeli officials and US hawks like Senator Lindsey Graham paint a dire picture. Graham warned that Iran’s long-range ballistic missiles, produced “in very high numbers,” could overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome defence system, posing an existential risk.
Trump’s latest rhetoric shifts focus from nukes, deemed “resolved” by the administration, to missiles, amid reports Iran retains about 1,000 of its pre-war 3,000-missile stockpile despite losses in Israel’s Operation Rising Lion. Netanyahu’s visit underscores this pivot, as allies amplify fears of Tehran’s rapid reconstitution efforts.
A carrot and stick approach
Ever the dealmaker, Trump dangled diplomacy, “If they want to make a deal, that’s much smarter.” He lamented Iran’s refusal to negotiate before June’s blows, urging a return to talks over its defense-centric missile programme, which Tehran vows never to bargain away. Yet, his “maximum pressure” campaign, revived since his January inauguration and includes crippling sanctions slashing Iran’s oil exports.
This blend of threat and outreach reflects Trump’s America First pivot, eyeing a Middle East pullback toward Western Hemisphere priorities. Still, pro-Israel donors and midterm election pressures complicate restraint.
Risks of escalation loom large
Critics like Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute warned further strikes could ignite a “harsher” Iranian response, trapping the US in a perpetual cycle. “Unless they respond decisively… they’ll find themselves bombed every six months,” he cautioned, fearing Israel might strike unilaterally, dragging Washington in via regional air defenses.
Domestically, backlash brews, even among Trump supporters wary of endless wars. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has fired back, accusing the US, Israel, and Europe of a “full-fledged war.” As 2026 midterms near, Trump’s base demands no quagmires, while hawks push confrontation.