Netanyahu fails to sway Trump as Israel conducts major drills amid US‑Iran uncertainty

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

Israeli officials are disappointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to convince U.S. President Donald Trump that negotiations with Iran will not achieve their goals and that the Iranian regime is stalling to buy time to continue strengthening its nuclear and missile capabilities.

According to a security official, Netanyahu presented Trump with a classified intelligence report revealing Tehran’s intensive efforts to enhance its missile and nuclear programs. Despite this, Trump insisted on continuing the diplomatic track while keeping the threat of force on the table.

Netanyahu’s close associates said that ongoing coordination between Tel Aviv and Washington keeps the possibility of an attack on Iran alive. 

They outlined several potential scenarios. One is that Washington could reach a relatively favorable agreement with Tehran that partially satisfies Trump, in which case it would refuse to give Israel the green light to strike Iran’s ballistic missiles. 

Another is that if negotiations fail, the United States could lead a large-scale attack on Iran. A third possibility is that Washington could authorize a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran, with the United States joining later if the attack succeeds.

Amid these scenarios, a key question arises: what happens if negotiations fail?

This question worries Israeli officials, who are intensifying preparations for both defense and offense. They recently conducted drills in Eilat, overlooking the Red Sea, simulating an Iranian missile attack on Israel.

The exercises involved heavy naval movements and extended to Ben Gurion Airport, considered a strategic target, where Israeli forces trained for scenarios in which tens of thousands of Israelis could face an Iranian attack.