President Donald Trump stopped Israel from launching military strikes against multiple nuclear targets in Iran, according to a New York Times report, which cited administration officials.
Israel was planning to strike Iran as soon as May, the Times reported, but Trump intervened to take a more diplomatic approach.
After months of internal debate among the administration, Trump reportedly decided to negotiate with Iran. The debate was between those who favor a stronger military stance and those wary of launching a wider war in the Middle East, the Times reported.
At the beginning of April, Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington wouldn’t support military strikes against Iran.
Trump revealed that America is pursuing nuclear discussions with Iran during an Oval Office meeting with Netanyahu last week.
The planned military campaign against Iran was expected to begin in early May and last more than a week. The strike would have started with eliminating what remained of Iran’s air defense systems, the Times reported.
This would have enabled Israeli fighters to directly strike nuclear sites. The attack likely would have prompted Iran to launch a retaliatory missile barrage at Israel, which the U.S. would have had to intervene against.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed the administration’s intention to take a more diplomatic approach.
“The maximum pressure campaign on Iran continues, but as you know the president has made it clear he wants to see dialogue and discussion with Iran,” she told reporters at Tuesday’s press briefing, “while making his directive about Iran never being able to obtain nuclear weapons quite clear.”
