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President Donald Trump warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against attacking Iran during a phone call on Monday, saying negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program should be allowed to run their course before military options were considered, according to a report.
The Wall Street Journal’s scoop came hours before Israel apparently shunned the president’s advice and launched a series of deadly airstrikes on Thursday night, killing General Hossein Salami, the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff to its armed forces, among other targets.
Iran has since retaliated by launching more than 200 drones at Israel.
Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, moved quickly overnight to deny U.S. involvement in the pre-dawn raid.
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran,” Rubio said. “We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.
“Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.
“President Trump and the administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners.”
Trump himself has since echoed Rubio’s effort to distance the U.S. from the attack in an interview with Fox News, saying he had been aware of Israel’s intentions but that his administration had had no part in it.
Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, was due to meet Iranian officials in Oman on Sunday for the latest round of talks on the potential de-escalation of Tehran’s nuclear program.
It is unclear whether those talks will still proceed in light of last night’s events, but Trump used his Fox appearance to express his hope that the negotiations over a revised deal could continue.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see,” he said.
“There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back.”
Iranian state TV, however, was quick to signal its suspicion of Washington, rejecting Trump and Rubio’s denials and accusing the administration of being “complicit” in an attack that has “killed children.”
Israel’s strikes – dubbed Operation Rising Lion – were necessary due to Iran's continued movement to “weaponize” enriched uranium, Netanyahu said in a statement, arguing the assault was critical to “Israel’s very survival.”
The country has since declared a state of emergency and said the strikes against Iran would “continue for as many days as it takes.”
Earlier in the day, shortly before the assault began, Trump had abruptly left a White House picnic for members of Congress without suggesting anything was wrong.
“As long as I think there will be an agreement, I don’t want them going in,” he had said of the tensions between Israel and Iran at the event, adding that he would “love to avoid a conflict.”
Pressed on whether or not an eruption was “imminent”, the president had conceded: “It looks like something could well happen.”
On the possibility of ultimately resolving the American-led talks with Iran successfully, Trump again expressed frustration at their slow progress and said the Iranians “are going to have to give us some things that they’re not willing to give us right now.”
The president will attend a National Security Council meeting at 11 am ET on Friday morning to discuss the latest tensions in the Middle East.
