President Donald Trump rejected Israeli proposals for a joint military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, opting instead to pursue direct diplomatic negotiations with Tehran, according to multiple U.S. and Israeli officials cited in a report published Wednesday by The New York Times.
The proposed operation, developed over months of consultation between U.S. and Israeli officials, was intended to begin in early May and aimed to delay Iran's nuclear ambitions by at least a year. Israeli forces, with anticipated U.S. support, were prepared to launch an extensive bombing campaign, eliminating Iranian air defenses followed by direct strikes on key nuclear sites. U.S. assistance would have been essential to safeguard Israeli airspace and mitigate potential Iranian retaliation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned Trump on April 3 to discuss the plan, but the president declined to speak on the issue and instead invited him to the White House. Four days later, with Netanyahu at his side in the Oval Office, Trump publicly announced that the U.S. had initiated direct nuclear talks with Iran.
"In private discussions, Mr. Trump made clear to Mr. Netanyahu that he would not provide American support for an Israeli attack in May while the negotiations were playing out," the Times reported, citing officials briefed on the conversations.
Tensions during the Oval Office meeting were apparent, with both leaders visibly at odds on the Iran strategy. "Trump and [Netanyahu] see things very differently on the issue of a military strike in Iran," one official told Axios. "The president kinda relished sticking it to him on Iran."
Despite the setback, Netanyahu emphasized in a video statement that both leaders "agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons," but warned that diplomacy must mirror the disarmament model used in Libya in 2003. "We go in, blow up the facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision and American execution - that is good," he said.
The thwarted strike plan reflects internal divisions within the Trump administration. Officials such as National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio favor a military response, while others including Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and U.S. Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff are pressing for diplomacy to avoid regional escalation and economic fallout from soaring oil prices.
"The Iran policy is not very clear mainly because it is still being figured out," one U.S. official told Axios. "It's a highly politically charged issue."
Iran and the U.S. are scheduled to hold another round of nuclear talks Saturday in Rome, following last week's meeting in Muscat mediated by Oman. Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, arrived in Tehran Wednesday to negotiate inspection terms and warn that Iran is "not far" from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Iran's enrichment activities remain a point of contention. "Iran's enrichment is a real, accepted matter," said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. "We are ready to build confidence... but the issue of enrichment is non-negotiable."
