Netanyahu persuaded Trump to expand Iran strike, Israeli official says

Prime minister and strategic affairs minister convinced U.S. president to hit key Iranian nuclear sites beyond Fordow during coordinated US-Israel operation.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer were instrumental in persuading U.S. President Donald Trump to broaden U.S. airstrikes on Iran, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive report published Sunday.

According to the Post, Trump had initially approved a limited strike focused solely on the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, approximately 60 km (37 miles) south of the holy city of Qom.

But after sustained dialogue with Netanyahu and Dermer, he ultimately agreed to also target two additional key nuclear sites: Natanz and Isfahan.

Israel had already struck these facilities repeatedly during its own campaign inside Iran but they remained partially operational.

“It took nearly a week of intensive talks,” an Israeli official told the Post.

“Four days ago, there was a phone call between Netanyahu and the U.S. president, during which Trump said, ‘I’ve decided to launch a strike.’”

Sources in both the U.S. and Israel said Trump was impressed by the effectiveness of Israel’s initial attacks and its intelligence capabilities.

“Without Israel’s achievements and the results of its operation, the American president would never have even considered joining the strike,” a familiar refrain from those who understand how Trump operates.

The U.S. military struck areas within the nuclear sites that Israel had found difficult to reach, including a highly fortified section of Isfahan built into a mountainside.

That location reportedly housed enriched uranium and other sensitive infrastructure, Israeli officials said.

On Thursday, a high-level call was held between U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior American officials with Netanyahu, Dermer, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir.

During the call, the U.S. made “several operational requests” of Israel, and the two countries coordinated closely in advance of the attack.

“There was full cooperation between Israel and the U.S.,” an Israeli source said.

“America carried out the operation, but Israel provided intelligence and helped ensure its success.”

To maintain operational secrecy, Israeli and American officials deliberately projected the appearance of disagreement in the days leading up to the strike.

“Even if the Iranians had known the strike was coming,” one source noted, “there wasn’t anything they could have done to stop it.”

On Sunday, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the strike had not come as a surprise to Israel.

“We knew about the strike,” he said, adding that most of Iran’s nuclear program was “either destroyed or severely damaged.”

With the nuclear infrastructure largely neutralized, Israeli officials said the military is now shifting its focus to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

While some missile production sites have been destroyed, Hanegbi warned that “the Iranians are still producing missiles” and possess a “fast recovery capability.”

“Netanyahu and Dermer worked tirelessly,” one senior Israeli official told the Post.

“They convinced the U.S. administration that striking Iran’s nuclear facilities was in America’s interest. Trump made the call, but Israel made the case.”