Senior Israeli Analysts Criticize Trump for Halting Planned Iran Strike Amid Rising Regional Tensions

Senior Israeli military analyst Yossi Yehoshua expressed surprise at President Donald Trump's decision to call off a planned military strike against Iran, describing the move as a blow to both Israeli and American deterrence. Speaking on 103FM radio, Yehoshua said the planned attack was much closer to execution than a similar aborted strike the previous week, and its cancellation damaged strategic credibility. He criticized Trump for undermining significant achievements in the conflict through what he called "very sloppy" negotiation management.

In parallel, Iran expert Benny Savati from the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) also condemned Trump’s decision, referring to the U.S. president as a "trampoline" that the region is stuck with, whose threats have become ineffective and have emboldened Iran. Savati warned that Trump’s erratic behavior is causing irreversible damage to the regional balance of power and compared Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to the SS, emphasizing their ruthless priorities.

The background to these comments is Trump’s announcement overnight (Saturday to Sunday) that he had canceled the military strike against Iran after Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries requested Washington to hold off. The decision sparked mixed reactions globally and in Israel, while Iranian media mocked Trump for backing down. This development comes amid unprecedented regional tensions, with the U.S. Central Command recently conducting extensive strikes on Iranian military targets and Israel facing daily Iranian cyberattacks, including on water infrastructure.

In response to the heightened security concerns, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to convene a special security cabinet meeting on Friday, an unusual move for the day, as the defense establishment prepares for a possible escalation over the coming weekend.