Netanyahu Wants Another Iran War, Trump Says There Is ‘No Rush’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing US President Donald Trump to launch another wave of military strikes against Iran after the November 3 US midterm elections, even as Washington pursues diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran, according to officials cited by The Associated Press (AP).

Netanyahu raised the possibility of renewed military action during a telephone conversation with Trump over the weekend. However, the US president did not commit to further strikes, according to a person briefed on the call. Netanyahu is also working with senior Trump administration officials to persuade Washington to carry out a quick but extensive air campaign against Iran, AP reported.

The pressure comes as US forces have already carried out limited strikes against Iranian targets on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz. US officials described the operation as defensive, while ABC News reported that it did not signal a resumption of major combat operations against Iran. Meanwhile, Qatar is mediating discussions between Washington and Tehran over the waterway and the US blockade of Iranian ports.

Netanyahu Presses Trump As Iran Negotiations Continue

Netanyahu's request comes amid uncertainty over Washington's next move. Although Trump has repeatedly threatened further military action, he has also indicated that he is willing to consider a negotiated settlement with Tehran.

Netanyahu and his far-right allies lost their parliamentary majority in last week's Israeli elections. A return to full-scale conflict with Iran could help him form an emergency government, AP reported, citing regional officials. The Israeli prime minister has also been working with senior US administration figures to persuade Trump to authorise an extensive air campaign, although the US president has yet to commit to one.

The proposal follows earlier preparations for renewed joint military operations. ABC News reported on October 22 that the Israeli and US militaries had drawn up plans for possible strikes after the midterm elections, citing two Israeli sources familiar with the preparations.

Potential targets included petrochemical facilities and nuclear sites, including the suspected underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain. One Israeli source told ABC News that regime change, rather than a negotiated agreement, remained the Israeli government's primary objective. However, the decision to resume joint strikes rested with Trump.

Qatar Mediates As Iran Puts Forward Seven-Step Proposal

Diplomatic efforts have continued alongside the military preparations. Qatari mediators have been working on a separate three-day confidence-building framework intended to help restart negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian negotiators left Doha on Sunday after several days of discussions, with a draft proposal being circulated and a follow-up meeting still possible, Reuters reported. Qatari mediator Ali al-Thawadi subsequently travelled to Tehran to discuss the framework and seek Iran's response, Axios reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran's proposal was based on a seven-step plan submitted in September. Under the proposal, the US would lift its naval blockade and Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The arrangement also envisages a waiver for Iranian oil sales, the cancellation of new sanctions and subsequent discussions on other issues, Reuters reported.

Baghaei said the proposal had been condensed to allow its implementation within two days. He added that negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme could resume only after Tehran had verified that its conditions had been met. Trump had rejected the original seven-step proposal in September, Reuters reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said consultations through mediators were continuing. "We have presented our conditions and proposals and everything depends on the political rationality of Washington," he said in comments carried by the Iranian state news agency IRNA.

The diplomatic efforts have yet to produce an agreement, with the two sides still discussing the conditions and sequence of steps required to move towards a settlement.

Trump Says No To Renewed Strikes, But Keeps Military Option Open

Trump's public statements have reflected the uncertainty surrounding Washington's position. On November 2, when asked whether he was considering launching strikes against Iran after the midterm elections, the US president replied, "No", Reuters reported.

In a telephone interview with Axios on November 2, Trump said the US was continuing to consider its options but was in no hurry to decide on further military action. "One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush," he said. He also indicated that Washington remained in contact with Tehran over a possible agreement.

Hours after the interview, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran wanted a settlement "as soon as possible" and added: "It could happen!" The post came as Iranian negotiators had left Doha and mediators continued exchanging proposals between the two sides.

Speaking to reporters at his Florida residence on October 31, Trump said the US still had one or two sites in Iran to deal with and mentioned Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear facility.

In a telephone interview with Fox News on November 2, Trump again raised the possibility of striking the site. "It's not a big deal," he said. "We can do that in literally one hour, as soon as we want, at any time that we want," The Washington Post reported.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Trump had not made a decision on further strikes and preferred a diplomatic solution.

"He hasn't made a decision," Rubio said, adding that Trump "would prefer to solve it diplomatically". Rubio added that Trump was confident the US had the capability to achieve its military objectives if necessary, but preferred a peaceful solution.

Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism about the diplomatic efforts. "We've had a number of good conversations with the Iranians," he said, adding that he and Trump "both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement", according to AP.

Limited US Strikes On Qeshm Island Raise Regional Concerns

The uncertainty over Washington's next steps comes as US forces carried out limited airstrikes on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz on November 2.

The Washington Post reported that US officials described the operation as defensive. One official said it was intended to protect American troops from Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles, while another said the strikes hit Iranian missile launchers.

ABC News separately reported that the operation was in response to an Iranian attack on a US aircraft. The officials described the strikes as limited and said they did not signal the resumption of major combat operations against Iran.

The operation came despite an earlier White House statement that the US would not attack Iran before the midterm elections. It was also part of a series of limited strikes carried out by American forces in recent weeks, according to US officials cited by The Washington Post.

Meanwhile, regional allies have warned Washington against launching another extensive military campaign. According to AP, officials fear renewed hostilities could prompt Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen to intensify attacks against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Iran-backed militias in Iraq could also become involved.

The Qeshm Island operation remains distinct from the wider air campaign Netanyahu is urging Trump to authorise. Trump has not committed to a broader offensive, while diplomatic efforts involving Qatar continue without an agreement between Washington and Tehran.