Behind the U.S.-Israel Rift, Jerusalem Braces for Wider Limits on Military Action

Tensions between Jerusalem and Washington over a possible U.S.-Iran deal are deepening, with Israeli officials saying the dispute reflects a broad security consensus in Israel, not just political pressure from the right. The article says American officials believe the tougher Israeli line is being driven by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who they think are obstructing President Donald Trump’s efforts to advance diplomacy with Tehran.

That view was reinforced publicly by Vice President JD Vance, who criticized the two ministers and said, "I am bothered that there are people in Netanyahu's cabinet who attacked the deal and attacked Trump." He added, "My message to them is that President Trump is the only one who is empathetic toward them right now in the world." Israeli officials, however, say the resistance runs much deeper.

According to the report, everyone from the chief of staff to the ministers and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the U.S.-Iran arrangement as a "catastrophe" for Israel. A senior cabinet source told N12, "Israel needs to be prepared to act alone. It will not happen tomorrow morning, but our baseline assumption is that Trump has lost interest, regardless of what the Iranians do or do not do." Netanyahu convened the small security cabinet for an urgent meeting on Thursday evening.

Israel is now preparing for months of heavy diplomatic pressure, possibly until after the U.S. midterm elections in November, aimed at restricting the Israel Defense Forces’ freedom of action. Officials say the pressure will not be limited to Lebanon, but is expected to extend to Gaza and Yemen as well. In closed conversations, Netanyahu has reportedly begun speaking about the need to "maneuver and act wisely diplomatically," a sign, the article says, that Israel expects tighter operational constraints across all fronts.