In launching renewed strikes on Iran on Monday in apparent open defiance of President Trump, Israel has tried to make its case to have a say at the peace negotiating table, where it has so far been kept at arm's length by Trump.
By launching the strikes, Israel sent a message to Washington that no final agreement with Iran can be reached if Israel's interests are ignored, said Danny Orbach, a military historian.
After Israel's strike on Lebanon on Sunday, and Iran's decision to fire at Israel in response, Trump made clear he believed that should be the end of the matter. But Israel concluded that only by striking Iran itself in response could it establish that Iran should not be granted future say over Israeli actions in Lebanon.
One goal was to establish that any future US-Iran deal would not remove Israel's right to attack Hezbollah, an official said. In a statement, Netanyahu said Israel would respond with force if Iran attacks it again. “I say this to you,” Netanyahu said to the Israeli public, “as I say it with respect in my good conversations with my friend President Trump.”
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