Israel joins Arab states in urging Trump to delay Iran strikes – report

Senior Israeli and Arab officials reportedly lobbying the Trump administration to hold off on striking Iran, arguing that the time is not yet ripe for a major attack.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel has joined a number of moderate Arab states in quietly advising the Trump administration to delay plans for a possible air campaign against Iran, multiple sources claimed in a report published by NBC News on Tuesday night.

A source familiar with deliberations in the Israeli government, a US official, a former US official, and two Arab officials told NBC News that a number of Arab and Israeli officials have reached out to the Trump administration recently, urging the White House to hold off on attacking Iran, at least for the time being.

The officials reportedly cautioned that striking too soon could diminish the net effectiveness of an air campaign in degrading the Iranian regime’s ability to remain in power.

They warned that a premature attack could not only fail to topple the government in Tehran, but potentially even backfire.

The talks are said to have involved not only American political leaders but also US military officials.

One Arab official said that US allies in the region are not keen on American strikes at this time.

There is, the official said, “a lack of enthusiasm from the neighborhood.”

Another Arab official cited in the report warned that “any attack or escalation by Israel or the US will unite Iranians,” strengthening rather than weakening the regime.

Israeli officials who spoke with the Trump administration expressed concerns that an American attack at this point in time might not “finish the job the protesters have started,” the report said.

Instead, Israel has recommended other ways of intervening on behalf of the protest movement, including attempts to circumvent the ongoing internet blackout, tougher economic sanctions, and cyberattacks.

If President Donald Trump does decide on the use of force, the officials suggested the campaign begin with a narrow, carefully targeted series of strikes on specific Iranian leaders.