According to a Wall Street Journal report cited by i24NEWS, Israeli officials were caught off guard by President Trump's declaration of a ceasefire with Iran, having believed he was leaning toward supporting military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. A U.S. official told the Journal that Prime Minister Netanyahu has been making a case for action but that the president has been listening.
A new report from the Wall Street Journal, relayed by i24NEWS this morning, reveals that Israeli officials were surprised by President Trump's overnight announcement of a ceasefire agreement with Iran. The sources, cited as 'Israeli officials,' told the Journal that Jerusalem had assessed Trump was leaning toward backing Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear targets, not a diplomatic deal.
A U.S. official quoted by the Journal described a dynamic in which Netanyahu has been 'explaining why something needs to be blown up' while Trump listens. The report adds to a week of whipsaw signals: Trump has blasted Netanyahu's judgment over a Beirut strike, claimed Netanyahu is 'on board' with a deal, and now — per this overnight report — signed an agreement that Israeli officials were not expecting.
The exact terms of the ceasefire agreement were not detailed in this report. Jerusalem has not issued an official response to the reported signing as of Thursday morning.
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- DevelopingReport: Trump's concessions to Iran alarm Israeli officials
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- Internal intake