Hebrew Analysis: No U.S. Green Light for an Imminent Strike Against Iran

NYN | Reports and Analyses 

The military affairs analyst for the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, Amos Harel, has ruled out the possibility that the recent meeting between occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump resulted in an American authorization to launch an imminent military attack on Iran, despite the escalatory rhetoric coming from the White House.

Harel affirmed that the U.S. administration understands that any external aggression at the present time would provide the Iranian regime with a pretext to brand internal protests as treasonous and label them as foreign-backed, under the slogan of “defending the homeland.” This is a scenario Trump does not favor, as he tends to prefer dismantling the system from within rather than entering into a wide regional war.

A Strategy of Pressure Instead of War

According to the analysis, Trump currently favors a policy of “maximum pressure” economically, alongside indirect political support for protests, rather than becoming embroiled in a military confrontation that could drive up global oil prices and threaten economic and political stability inside the United States.

Three Obstacles to a Military Adventure

Harel identified three main reasons preventing Washington from granting a “green light” for a large-scale military attack:

1. Preparations for the 2026 World Cup: The United States fears that a major war in the Middle East could lead to international security and political turmoil that would negatively affect the world’s largest sporting event.

2. Midterm Elections: The Republican Party worries that images of soldiers returning in coffins or rising fuel prices could cost it its majority in Congress.

3. Risks of an Iranian Response: Tehran’s ability to absorb a strike and prolong the conflict could turn the war into a long, costly war of attrition with uncertain outcomes.

Warning Against Israeli Right-Wing Illusions

Harel warned against what he described as the “illusions of the Israeli right” regarding the ease of toppling the Iranian regime through a swift aerial strike, stressing that Iran still possesses military and deterrent capabilities that make it a tenacious adversary for years to come.

Netanyahu Returns Without Authorization

The analysis concludes that Netanyahu returned from Washington with moral and media gains that serve his political campaign, but without obtaining U.S. authorization to open a comprehensive war front against Iran, as Washington has adopted a strategy based on supporting internal protests while keeping the military threat merely as a tool of pressure—nothing more.