Trump spoke with Netanyahu as US weighs fresh military strikes on Iran, report says

Overview

US President Donald Trump spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday while Washington assessed options for potentially resuming military operations against Iran, according to a US media report citing people familiar with the conversation. The Wall Street Journal reported that the call followed a White House meeting earlier in the week in which Trump discussed possible military action with senior military commanders.

Confirmed information and reported claims

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks with Iran had not stopped and that President Trump had not decided whether to resume military action.
• Rubio said Washington remained open to a diplomatic settlement if it addressed US security concerns, including Iran's nuclear programme and its support for armed groups in the region.
• Rubio accused Iran of threatening commercial shipping and disrupting maritime trade. He said US naval forces were intercepting drones and anti-ship missiles almost every night, while petroleum transit volumes remained comparable to pre-conflict levels.
• The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli defence assessments, reported that the US and Israel were preparing for the possibility of renewed strikes, though Israeli officials remained uncertain about timing.
• Iranian officials responded to a letter from US Vice President JD Vance delivered through Qatari mediators. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the tone had changed significantly. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Washington's attempt to initiate dialogue as a positive step.

Unknowns

• Whether the White House will order strikes before the US midterm elections. The Jerusalem Post reported that strikes were not expected before the elections unless preparations for a surprise attack were detected.
• The specific terms of any potential agreement or the framework for negotiations.
• Whether a direct US-Iran meeting will occur, and if so, when and where. Al Jazeera reported Doha and Istanbul were being considered as possible venues.
• Whether Iran will accept an agreement requiring it to abandon its nuclear programme or stop producing ballistic missiles.

Practical implications

• More than 3,000 American troops were stationed in Israel, according to the report. Ten US Air Force transport aircraft arrived at Israeli Air Force bases in southern Israel from Fort Bliss, Texas, believed to be carrying air defence systems. Other aircraft in the convoy landed in Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
• The report also mentioned the transfer of an additional Patriot air defence system to the region, though there was no sharp increase in US military aircraft redirected to Israel during the previous week.
• Rubio warned that disruptions to maritime trade could affect global food security, particularly supplies of fuel, agricultural inputs, and food commodities.
• Trump said at the White House on Friday that Tehran was keen to negotiate and that the US had time, while also predicting the conflict would end soon.

How to verify the original announcement

Read The Wall Street Journal's report on the Trump-Netanyahu call and the White House meeting with military commanders. Review Marco Rubio's remarks to reporters after the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Georgia. Check The Jerusalem Post's coverage of Israeli defence assessments and US military preparations. Consult Iranian state media and Al Jazeera reporting on the Vance letter and possible talks in Doha or Istanbul.