‘The decision on whether to act militarily is up to the American president,’ Israeli official says

The proposal also calls for expanding Israel’s domestic defense industry and increasing local weapons production.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump discussed a range of options for addressing Iran’s nuclear program during talks in Washington, with both leaders focused on eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat rather than carrying out any single military action, a senior diplomatic official said Wednesday.

The official said the meeting examined three possible courses of action: negotiating a deal with Tehran, tightening economic sanctions, or launching a major military strike.

The leaders discussed the benefits and drawbacks of each option, the official said.

“The decision on whether to act militarily is up to the American President, unless Iran chooses to attack Israel, and the Iranians understand that Israel will respond,” the official said.

The official also provided Israel’s latest assessment of Iran’s nuclear activities, saying, “The Iranians transferred centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, but it is uncertain that they are enriching uranium.”

He added that Israeli intelligence continues to assess that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive.

The discussions also included the future of US-Israel defense cooperation. According to the official, Netanyahu presented Trump with a proposal to gradually end US military assistance over the next decade, reducing it to zero while replacing the current aid structure with a partnership centered on mutual cooperation.

The proposal also calls for expanding Israel’s domestic defense industry and increasing local weapons production.

The official also addressed criticism surrounding a Likud campaign video directed at Gadi Eisenkot, saying Netanyahu had not viewed the video himself but had been briefed on the reaction it generated.

According to the official, the prime minister believes “it is right not to engage with bereavement from any side.”

The official also accused the media of applying a double standard in its coverage of threats against political figures, referring to death threats aimed at Netanyahu and his family.

“If it were the other way around, you would shut the country down,” the official said.