Netanyahu’s war with Iran: ‘For him, it’s personal’
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
“Tel Aviv Today, New York Tomorrow”! Netanyahu’s Other Battle: Pulling The U.S. Into War With “Near Nuclear” Iran
Trump has praised the success of the Israeli military campaign, which has combined targeted assassinations of key military personnel, destruction of Iran’s air defences, and repeated strikes on nuclear sites. But the former tycoon stated clearly that he was considering joining the Israeli campaign directly, raising the possibility of the bunker-busting GBU-57 bombs being deployed against Iran’s main underground uranium stockpile facility in Fordo. A poll by the survey group YouGov for The Economist magazine conducted last weekend found half of Americans viewed Iran as an “enemy” and another quarter said it was “unfriendly” But it found that only 16 percent of Americans “think the US military should get involved in the conflict” between Israel and Iran. The New York Times, citing unnamed US administration sources, reported Tuesday that Netanyahu had asked Trump for US-made bunker- busting bombs capable of reaching Iran’s underground Iranian nuclear facilities in an April meeting.
“Today, it’s Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it’s New York,” he told ABC News a day later, arguing that Iran was working on longer-range missiles that would be able to reach US shores in the future.
His media blitz came after intensive and not always harmonious exchanges between Netanyahu and Trump this year, with the Israeli leader having been welcomed to the White House twice since the Republicans’ return to power in January.
The New York Times, citing unnamed US administration sources, reported Tuesday that Netanyahu had asked Trump for US-made bunker-busting bombs capable of reaching Iran’s underground Iranian nuclear facilities in an April meeting — but had been refused.
Having been elected in opposition to US entanglements overseas and supposed “war-mongers” in the Democratic party, Trump was seen as reluctant to commit Washington to another unpopular war in the Middle East.
Much of his right-wing Make America Great Again (MAGA) coalition is staunchly anti-interventionist, including Vice President JD Vance, his head of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and influential media figures such as Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson.
But speaking on Wednesday, the former tycoon stated clearly that he was considering joining the Israeli campaign directly, raising the possibility of the bunker-busting GBU-57 bombs being deployed against Iran’s main underground uranium stockpile facility in Fordo.
“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he had decided on US air strikes.
His final decision will come “within the next two weeks”, he said Thursday.
Influence
Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at the London-based Chatham House think-tank, said Netanyahu had been clever in his dealings with Trump, appealing to his “vanity” with charm as well as “using his weaknesses”.
Once he had received an “amber light” in private from the US leader to launch the attacks last Friday, “he knew Trump’s personality and knew that Trump might come on board if there was a chance of claiming glory in some way or claiming some sort of credit,” he told AFP.
Trump has openly praised the success of the Israeli military campaign, which has combined targeted assassinations of key military personnel, destruction of Iran’s air defences, and repeated strikes on nuclear sites.
Eliot A. Cohen, a veteran former US State Department advisor and international relations expert at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, cautioned against overstating Netanyahu’s personal influence, however.
“I suspect this is much less about Netanyahu’s influence than Trump’s own view of the Iranian nuclear programme, his memory of the assassination plot against him in 2024 by Iranian agents and the success of the initial Israeli operations,” he told AFP.
An Iranian man has been charged in connection with an alleged plot to kill Trump before his election last November.
Cohen said Netanyahu’s lobbying could succeed for several reasons.
“They are not asking for anything other than the bombing of Fordo,” he said, referring to the deeply buried underground uranium enrichment facility. “Nobody is talking about an invasion or anything like that.”
“Many if not most Americans understand that a nuclear Iran is particularly dangerous, and that the regime is deeply hostile to the US,” he added.
Public Opinion
A poll by the survey group YouGov for The Economist magazine conducted last weekend found half of Americans viewed Iran as an “enemy” and another quarter said it was “unfriendly.”
But it found that only 16 percent of Americans “think the US military should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran”.
It found that majorities of Democrats (65 percent), independents (61 percent) and Republicans (53 percent) opposed military intervention.
Speaking on his War Room podcast Wednesday, former Trump strategist Bannon seethed that Netanyahu had “lectured” America and started a war he couldn’t end on his own.
“Quit coming to us to finish it,” he said.
Via: Agence France-Presse
Israeli PM Netanyahu postpones son’s wedding 2nd time amid Iran war, draws flak for ‘personal cost’ remark
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has come under fire after announcing that his son Avner’s wedding has been delayed for a second time due to the current war with Iran. In an emotional appeal to the public, Netanyahu said his family, like many others, is making sacrifices. He compared the situation to the British people’s suffering during the Blitz in World War II, saying Israel is going through a similar trial. However, his comments were not well received by the public and many viewed the statement as self-centered. On social media, Israelis mocked the speech, accusing Netanyahu of being out of touch with the nation’s pain.
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Netanyahu made the statement while standing in front of Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, which was damaged by an Iranian missile strike.
⚡️🇮🇱JUST IN: Israeli PM Netanyahu following Iran’s latest missile strike: “We all bear a personal price , It didn’t pass by my family, this is the second time my son Avner’s wedding is delayed because of missiles, it’s a huge personal price for him, for his fiancé & my family.”… pic.twitter.com/2rj0Hb4jWn — Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) June 19, 2025
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In an emotional appeal to the public, Netanyahu said his family, like many others, is making sacrifices. He mentioned that Avner’s fiancée and his wife Sara were deeply affected by the delay.
The wedding, initially planned for November, had already been postponed once due to security concerns and was scheduled again for this week before being called off again.
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Netanyahu compared the situation to the British people’s suffering during the Blitz in World War II, saying Israel is going through a similar trial.
“Everyone is paying a price, my family too,” he said.
He also praised his wife Sara, calling her a “hero” for enduring the personal challenges.
However, his comments were not well received by the public. Many criticised the comparison to wartime Britain and viewed the statement as self-centered. On social media, Israelis mocked the speech, accusing Netanyahu of being out of touch with the nation’s pain.
Anat Angrest, whose son has been held captive in Gaza since October 7, 2023, responded publicly: “My family hasn’t missed the suffering either. I’ve been living a nightmare for 622 days.”
Opposition figures also reacted sharply. Gilad Kariv, a Knesset member from the Democratic Party, called Netanyahu a “narcissist without boundaries” reports The Guardian.
He said many families have suffered far worse, losing loved ones and having futures destroyed—not just postponed. Kariv also criticised Netanyahu’s praise of his wife, saying the real heroes are everyday Israelis, like doctors working night shifts and teachers supporting children during uncertain times.