Israeli officials who spoke to CNN confirmed that the United States has asked Israel not to join the current escalation with Iran, according to a report. The officials said Washington fears Israeli involvement could spiral out of control and lead to a wider regional conflagration.
Israeli officials have confirmed to CNN that the United States formally requested that Israel refrain from joining the current US-Iran military escalation, according to a report published Friday evening. The officials stated that Washington fears Israeli involvement could cause the conflict to spiral out of control and lead to a broader regional conflagration.
The confirmation follows a report by a senior American official, also to CNN, at 16:50 Jerusalem, who said President Donald Trump does not want Israel to participate in strikes on Iran. The two reports together indicate that the US administration is making a concerted effort to keep the confrontation limited to American and Iranian forces.
The request comes amid a period of heightened US-Iran tensions, including naval clashes in the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian attacks on neighboring countries. As The Zioneer has reported, the US has warned Gulf states to prepare for possible Iranian retaliation, and Israeli assessments have indicated that the conflict is not expected to spill over into Israel at this stage. However, the US administration has been concerned that Israeli military activity could complicate the emerging diplomatic framework with Tehran.
It remains unclear how Israel has formally responded to the request, but Israeli officials have previously stressed that freedom of action is not subject to negotiation.
4 developments
- StrongTrump says Israel not involved in strikes on Iran
- DevelopingTrump administration reportedly ordered no defensive action to protect Israel from Iranian missiles
- DevelopingIsrael objects to Trump demand to halt Lebanon fighting as part of Iran deal
- DevelopingIsraeli official says US demanded restraint against Iran, but Trump did not
Source and signal
- Internal intake