Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has privately expressed concern that Tel Aviv has “limited influence” over the outcome of the US President Donald Trump administration’s negotiations with Iran, according to a new report.
According to a CNN report citing Israeli officials, Netanyahu continues to favour stronger military pressure on Tehran, while the White House appears to be moving towards a broader diplomatic agreement instead of further escalation.
For Israel, concerns remain that any emerging deal may leave out key issues such as Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, its missile programme and support for regional proxy groups. It could also ease economic pressure on Tehran.
“There is a real concern that Trump will settle for a bad interim deal. If it’s a deal in which the uranium is actually removed, fine. But if it’s only a statement of intentions, the Iranians could play the Americans and ultimately not remove the uranium,” an Israeli official told the outlet.
Iran has maintained that its near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile is not included in the ongoing interim negotiations. Trump has, however, said the material should eventually be transferred to the US though he has recently indicated some flexibility on the matter.
Israeli officials say Netanyahu has pushed for strikes on Iran’s oil facilities.
“If the (US) blockade (of Iran’s ports) is lifted – and even more so if it’s done as part of a bad deal – it would be very bad and would significantly strengthen the regime,” one Israeli official said.
Another Israeli source added, “So this is how it feels when Trump throws us under the bus.”
At the same time, tensions remain high in Lebanon where Hezbollah has stepped up drone attacks targeting Israeli forces and areas near the northern border. In response, Netanyahu has directed the Israeli military to expand its operations in the region. Iran is reportedly pushing for the agreement to include a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Pressure is also building within Netanyahu’s own coalition with far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich calling for a stronger military response.
While Netanyahu has avoided publicly criticising Trump, CNN reported that he has privately blamed US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for steering the president towards a diplomatic path.
The report further mentioned that Israeli officials failed to anticipate Trump’s desire to distance himself from a prolonged Middle East conflict. Trump himself underscored the relationship last week, saying: “Bibi’s a good guy, he’ll do what I tell him.”
The shift comes as Netanyahu faces domestic political pressure, with polls showing growing Israeli skepticism over the country’s worsening relations with Iran since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas.
