Israel has carried out new strikes on Iran despite Trump reportedly urging Netanyahu not to retaliate, exposing a growing fracture between Washington’s calls for restraint and Israel’s decision to push ahead with military action.
The move raises serious questions about how much influence the U.S. still has over Israel’s war decisions, especially when American officials are trying to prevent the conflict from spiralling into a wider regional war. While Trump publicly wanted Israel to hold back, Netanyahu appears determined to keep pressure on Tehran, even if that risks dragging Washington deeper into the crisis.
For Iran, the strikes will likely be seen as another escalation that demands a response. For the region, it means another dangerous step toward a wider confrontation involving Israel, Iran, the U.S., and their allies.
The bigger question now is whether this was a controlled strike — or the start of another round of retaliation that neither side can easily stop.