United States
The United States is Israel's primary strategic ally, currently engaged in a direct kinetic confrontation with the Iranian regime. Following the collapse of the 'Islamabad Agreement' in July 2026, the U.S. has transitioned to large-scale retaliatory strikes against Iranian military and nuclear-adjacent infrastructure, while formally reinstating a naval blockade in the Persian Gulf.
The United States remains the indispensable pillar of Israel's national security architecture, though the relationship in mid-2026 has shifted from diplomatic coordination to managing a regional escalation. Throughout early 2026, the U.S. pursued the 'Islamabad Agreement'—a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tehran finalized via Pakistani mediation. However, by July 2026, this framework collapsed following repeated Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and a reported assassination plot against President Donald Trump. On Monday, July 13, 2026, the conflict escalated significantly as President Trump formally declared the MoU dead and reinstated a full naval blockade on Iran. Adopting the title 'Guardian of the Strait of Hormuz,' the U.S. administration announced a 20% security fee on all cargo passing through the strategic chokepoint. By late July, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had expanded its kinetic campaign to a 13th consecutive night of operations. On Friday, July 24, 2026, reports confirmed massive strikes involving B-1B Lancer strategic bombers targeting a 'missile city' in Yazd, as well as command centers and UAV depots in Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, and Qeshm Island. President Trump has explicitly threatened Iran's deep underground nuclear sites, including Mount Makosh, while warning Israel of 'consequences' should it join the strikes independently. Simultaneously, the U.S. has implemented a policy where any damage to commercial shipping will be compensated using frozen Iranian funds held by Washington. This shift marks the most direct military engagement between the two nations in decades, with the U.S. leveraging its European bases and regional partnerships with Bahrain and Kuwait to sustain the pressure.