Trump meets Netanyahu, says he wants Iran deal but reminds Tehran of ‘Midnight Hammer’ operation

Iran dominated the docket successful Wednesday’s White House gathering betwixt President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with some leaders signaling that diplomacy with Tehran remains uncertain and that coordination volition proceed if talks fail.

In a station connected Truth Social pursuing the meeting, Trump said helium pushed for continued negotiations but near unfastened different options.

"There was thing definitive reached different than I insisted that negotiations with Iran proceed to spot whether oregon not a woody tin beryllium consummated. If it can, I fto the Prime Minister cognize that volition beryllium a preference. If it cannot, we volition conscionable person to spot what the result volition be… Last clip Iran decided that they were amended disconnected not making a deal, and they were deed with Midnight Hammer — That did not enactment good for them."

Netanyahu’s bureau said the leaders discussed Iran, Gaza and broader determination developments and agreed to support adjacent coordination, adding that the premier curate emphasized Israel’s information needs successful the discourse of negotiations.

FROM GAZA TO IRAN: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN TRUMP-NETANYAHU MAR-A-LAGO TALKS?

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathering astatine the White House, Feb 11, 2025. (Avi Ohayun/ GPO)

Earlier successful the day, Netanyahu formally joined the U.S.-backed "Board of Peace," signing onto the inaugural up of the gathering aft weeks of hesitation. The determination places Israel wrong a forum that includes Western partners arsenic good arsenic Turkey and Qatar, whose engagement successful Gaza has drawn disapproval successful Jerusalem.

Experts accidental the determination reflects strategical calculations tied to some Gaza and Iran.

Dr. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, said Netanyahu’s information is straight linked to practice with Washington and to shaping postwar arrangements successful Gaza.

"It is successful Israel’s involvement for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to articulation the Board of Peace. He needs a spot astatine that array adjacent alongside adversarial powers specified arsenic Muslim Brotherhood-aligned countries Qatar and Turkey. Netanyahu’s rank successful the Board of Peace is an important constituent successful his practice with President Trump to assistance instrumentality the 20-point plan, with deradicalization, disarming Hamas and demilitarization arsenic the archetypal 3 non-negotiable actions."

ISRAELI OFFICIALS REPORTEDLY WARN IRAN'S BALLISTIC MISSILES COULD TRIGGER SOLO MILITARY ACTION AGAINST TEHRAN

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) clasp a papers aft their gathering successful Washington, United States, connected Feb. 11, 2026. (Avi Ohayon/GPO/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Diker said the determination is besides tied to Iran. "More strategical crushed that Netanyahu’s rank connected the Board of Peace is important is that it represents an constituent of practice to antagonistic the Iranian regime. Netanyahu is apt counting connected enactment against the Iranian authorities from the Iranian radical themselves and from the United States successful the coming weeks. In exchange, Netanyahu continues to cooperate successful implementing the 20-point program successful Gaza arsenic portion of a quid pro quo."

Blaise Misztal, vice president for argumentation astatine the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, described Israel’s determination arsenic a pragmatic prime shaped by the incomplete implementation of the Gaza woody and the broader determination menace environment.

"The implementation of the Gaza bid woody leaves overmuch to beryllium desired. Hamas, contempt being fixed 72 hours to merchandise each hostages, took implicit 100 days to bash so; Hamas has inactive not disarmed; determination is neither an International Stabilization Force nor immoderate countries jumping astatine the accidental to articulation it; and the Board of Peace comprises countries that person shown themselves enemies of bid with Israel."

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President Donald Trump holds up his signature connected the founding charter during a signing ceremonial for the Board of Peace astatine the World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland, connected Jan. 22, 2026. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

He said Israel yet chose engagement implicit isolation. "Proceeding with the woody — including joining the Board of Peace — is Israel’s slightest atrocious option. Israel has a amended accidental of countering oregon balancing Turkish and Qatari power connected the Board of Peace by being successful the country with them, alternatively than extracurricular it."

Misztal besides linked the timing to Iran. "With the United States having a existent accidental to disarm, oregon adjacent topple, the Iranian authorities and the hazard that Tehran mightiness yet lash retired astatine Israel, determination is nary involvement successful doing thing that would hazard restarting the warfare successful Gaza."