U.S. President Donald Trump (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold a joint press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., February 4, 2025. (Liri Agami/Flash90)
Israel aims to secure prior American approval for action if Tehran resumes nuclear activity, echoing current protocols in Lebanon.
By David Brummer, World Israel News
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to request a formal mechanism from U.S. President Donald Trump to authorize Israeli strikes on Iran if nuclear activity resumes.
An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that Netanyahu will present the proposal during his Monday meeting with Trump in Washington, D.C.
“The goal is to receive a mandate similar to the situation in Lebanon,” the official said.
“That would allow Israeli strikes with prior U.S. approval if Iran is seen removing uranium or rebuilding nuclear facilities previously hit by joint U.S.-Israeli attacks.”
Israel wants the system to prevent Iran from reactivating its nuclear program.
The official said the proposal is part of a broader strategy to reimpose snapback sanctions due to Iran’s non-cooperation with international inspectors.
Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) withdrew its inspectors from Iran, citing security concerns.
The move came after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law suspending Tehran’s cooperation with the agency.
Before boarding his flight to Washington on Sunday, Netanyahu told reporters, “We must remain vigilant against Iran’s attempts to renew its pursuit of nuclear weapons aimed at our destruction.”
The U.S. and Israel have intensified efforts to limit Iran’s capabilities after the conclusion of the Israel-Iran war in June.
The U.S. strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site dealt a major blow to Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS News on Tuesday that Fordow had been “seriously and heavily damaged.”
He added that the full extent of the damage is still unknown but called the attack significant.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces have shifted their focus back to southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions near the border.
On Thursday, Israeli forces killed Qassem Salah Al-Husseini, a senior Lebanese terrorist, in the area of Kfarkela.
According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Husseini was working with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force to coordinate attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians in the north.
The renewed focus on Lebanon comes as Israel seeks to ensure that threats from Hezbollah do not escalate amid regional tensions.
Netanyahu’s push for a coordinated response mechanism with the U.S. reflects Israel’s concern that Iran may use the current uncertainty to rebuild its nuclear capabilities.
The Israeli official said the plan is not to wait until a new crisis emerges, but to have approval protocols in place to act swiftly if Iran crosses red lines.
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