Netanyahu dismisses claim he dragged Trump into conflict with Iran

ISTANBUL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rejected claims that Israel pushed the United States into a war with Iran, calling the allegation “ridiculous.”

“Donald Trump is the strongest leader in the world. He does what he thinks is right for America. He does also what he thinks is right for future generations,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News.

Netanyahu’s remarks came after The New York Times reported that he played a central role in steering US President Donald Trump toward a war with Iran, lobbying him personally for months and working to prevent diplomatic talks from derailing plans for a military offensive.

Responding to the claim, Netanyahu said Trump “understands” the threat posed by Iran and does not need to be persuaded.

Referring to Iran, Netanyahu said Tehran is “committed to your destruction,” addressing the US. “Whether people understand it or not, the leader has to understand it. Donald Trump understands it. You don't have to drag him into anything. He does what he thinks is right, and this is right,” he said.

The NYT report, citing people with direct knowledge of the deliberations -- including American and Israeli officials, diplomats, lawmakers and intelligence figures -- described the US decision to strike Iran as a significant victory for Netanyahu.

According to the report, Netanyahu first raised the prospect of hitting Iran’s missile sites during a visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in December. Two months later, he secured broader US involvement in a campaign aimed at bringing down the Iranian leadership.

Israel earlier announced that it launched what it called a “preemptive” attack against Iran early Saturday under the name “Operation Lion’s Roar,” and declared a “special and immediate” state of emergency across the country.

The strikes came as talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program were ongoing under Oman’s mediation. A new round of talks in Geneva ended on Thursday.

Since Saturday, joint US-Israeli strikes have reportedly killed several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks targeting US-linked sites in Gulf countries. Six US service members have been killed and several others seriously wounded.