Trump Chooses a Deal, as Israel Pays the Strategic Price

The article argues that President Donald Trump has sharply shifted U.S. policy on Iran for political and personal reasons, preferring an agreement at almost any cost over continued confrontation. The author says the move may reflect domestic calculations ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, with Trump possibly valuing stability over a security escalation.

That shift, the piece says, is drawing growing criticism, especially from pro-Israel Republicans who struggle with Washington moving closer to Tehran while distancing itself from Israel, described as America’s key Middle East ally. The author warns that the decision to “turn away from Israel” at such a sensitive moment could later prove a strategic mistake.

The column was written in the wake of a deadly overnight attack in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah fire struck the tank of Israeli soldiers and killed four IDF fighters. The Israeli army responded by striking targets across Lebanon, but did not hit Beirut, partly because of limits imposed by the U.S. administration.

The author says the strikes may have sent a message to Hezbollah, but argues that Israel now needs decisive results, not messages. After months of security erosion and loss of life, he says defeating Hezbollah matters more than signaling, and that Israel cannot rely entirely on others for its security. The piece concludes that the United States should recognize that Israel is not only an ally, but the frontline in the regional fight against terrorism and extremism.