Israel’s new strategy: Lean on Trump, pressure Iran, keep the military option – POLITICO

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel isn’t getting the U.S. backing for an extended war with Iran that it wanted. So the country is switching to a new regional strategy — one that hinges on a fragile mix of military pressure, U.S. diplomacy and, ultimately, the prospect of acting alone.

At the start of the war with Iran nearly six weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s goal was to “remove the existential threat” posed by Iran, including by preventing the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon and creating conditions for the Iranian people to rise up against their government. While Israel failed to achieve that, Netanyahu is prioritizing coordination with President Donald Trump, even if it comes at a cost.

“Since Trump was elected … whenever we can, we coordinate with the Americans,” said Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu who still consults with him. “For example, now, to stop attacking Iran, that was the price. But for us, being with the Americans and paying the price along the way was more important than to do it by ourselves.”