Trump’s Push for a Deal Could Undermine Gains From the Iran Strikes

An opinion piece on Channel 14 argues that the military gains Israel and the United States achieved in operations “Rage of the Lion” and “With the Lion” against Iran could be squandered if President Donald Trump presses ahead with a loose political agreement with Tehran. The author says the strikes left Iran at a strategic low point, but warns that a paper deal would stop short of turning that battlefield advantage into a lasting change on the ground.

According to the article, Israel has reason to be alarmed because the emerging U.S.-Iran arrangement would freeze a 60-day reality in which Iran gives up nothing while receiving a ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the release of tens of billions of dollars. It also raises questions about whether Israel’s freedom of action inside Iran would remain intact, and what effect the deal would have on Lebanon and on the Israel Defense Forces’ maneuvering ability in the region.

The piece says the agreement is vague on the future of Iran’s nuclear program, especially enriched uranium, and leaves open underground capabilities in areas Israel did not strike. It argues that Iran would likely suspend the program only temporarily and could resume it whenever it wanted. The deal also does not address ballistic missiles or the continued funding of Iranian proxies, including the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas.

The author adds that the real danger is political, because the agreement would outlast both Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iran is counting on that. In the article’s view, Tehran wants to wait out the current leadership in Washington and Jerusalem, then violate the deal systematically and rebuild as political conditions in the West shift. Netanyahu, it says, must turn the military success into a concrete outcome that preserves Israel’s security interests and freedom of action in the Middle East.