Netanyahu Urges Trump to Resume Strikes on Iran Post-Elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing U.S. President Donald Trump to restart military operations against Iran immediately after the U.S. midterm elections, according to Axios. However, Trump prefers to continue diplomatic efforts and give negotiations more time. The two leaders recently had a "difficult" phone call, described as "complex" by an Israeli source and "direct" by an American source. Both the White House and the Prime Minister's Office declined to comment. Similar to previous operations, Trump is pursuing both diplomatic and military scenarios. Washington is attempting to restart talks with Tehran while preparing for a potential return to large-scale combat operations post-elections. Last week, Vice President J.D. Vance sent a letter to Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, proposing discussions on resuming negotiations, marking the highest-level U.S. outreach to Tehran in months. Trump recently told reporters that negotiations are progressing normally, and he is not in a hurry, noting Iran's interest in an agreement but also its history of reneging on deals. Simultaneously, Trump indicated that military options remain on the table, mentioning one or two Iranian nuclear sites that the U.S. needs to neutralize, specifically highlighting an underground facility at Mount Picax. He stated that U.S. military planners have a rapid strike plan for this site. Earlier reports indicated Trump faced a choice between resuming military action against Iran and continuing negotiations, which are approaching a critical stage.