Netanyahu praises meeting with Trump since launching the Iran war

 Israel wants to intensify economic pressure on Iran while preserving the threat of military action, a senior Israeli official said after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with US President Donald Trump. Speaking at a briefing attended by Iran International, the official said Trump and Netanyahu discussed three possible paths: reaching an agreement with Tehran, maintaining sanctions alongside intermittent military strikes, or launching a broader military campaign. While stressing that the final decision rested with Trump, the official said the two leaders were aligned on the objective of preventing Iran from rebuilding its military and nuclear capabilities.
The official said Israel favoured maximising economic pressure while maintaining a credible military threat, arguing the combination would place Tehran under increasing strain without immediately requiring another full-scale war.
Trump, however, remained concerned about the impact of renewed conflict on energy markets and the global economy, according to the official. Netanyahu reportedly acknowledged those concerns but argued they could be addressed by further squeezing Iran's already fragile economy. He also warned that Tehran was trying to use the Strait of Hormuz to extract concessions from Washington. Tuesday's meeting—the first between the two leaders since the outbreak of the 40-day war on Feb. 28—came as Trump continued to pursue negotiations with Tehran while weighing the possibility of renewed military action.