Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly calling U.S. President Donald Trump daily, pressuring him to launch fresh military strikes against Iran. This information comes from a report by the British newspaper Financial Times.
Citing an individual familiar with the matter, the report states, “Netanyahu is calling him [Trump] every day, urging him to restart the war. Those within and outside the White House who oppose such a conflict are working to thwart these efforts.”
The source added, “Regional leaders are urging Trump to prioritize dialogue rather than escalating tensions.”
Another source familiar with the situation in Israel noted that while Netanyahu seeks renewed attacks on Iran, there is no evidence of a coordinated, high-level Israeli campaign to persuade Trump to take such action.
Meanwhile, following discussions with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Trump indicated that the likelihood of new attacks on Iran is currently low. Qatar is leading regional efforts to broker a temporary understanding between the United States and Iran.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait favor maintaining the status quo—specifically, the continuation of the largest naval blockade in history and the ongoing mission, ‘Operation Iron Gate’.”
Trump made it clear that he prefers maintaining economic sanctions against Iran over launching new military strikes.
He added, “I see positive progress toward ending this conflict. We will always safeguard the interests of the United States.”
According to the Financial Times report, leaders across Arab and Muslim nations are concerned by Netanyahu’s lobbying of Trump to reignite the conflict with Iran. Citing individuals familiar with the discussions, the report states that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have all spoken with Trump by phone.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have warned that any new attacks by the United States or Israel would be met with a retaliatory response. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the country’s military leadership have also issued warnings to this effect.
Potential Iranian retaliation could include strikes against various military and civilian assets. Specifically, threats have been made to target seven critical undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as regional data centers and cloud infrastructure.
Such attacks could pose a major risk not only to the Middle East but also to international internet connectivity and digital infrastructure.
