Trump’s agreement with Iran is the moment Netanyahu has been dreading

Key Points:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received two contrasting calls from President Donald Trump on the same day: one expressing anger over Israel's strike on Beirut, and another informing him that their joint war effort against Iran was effectively over due to a new US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
• The memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, which Netanyahu and Israeli officials dread, could ease sanctions on Tehran and delay addressing Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile issues, complicating Israel’s security goals.
• Netanyahu has been notably restrained in publicly criticizing the deal or Trump, diverging from his usual vocal stance, while other Israeli political figures, including his far-right coalition partners and opposition leaders, have strongly condemned the agreement.
• Relations between Netanyahu and Trump are strained due to disagreements over the war’s end and Iran negotiations, impacting Netanyahu’s electoral strategy that had relied heavily on Trump’s support ahead of the October elections.
• Despite a decline in Trump’s popularity among Netanyahu’s base and challenges to their alliance, Netanyahu’s team remains hopeful for reconciliation, seeking a private meeting with Trump to discuss concerns and potentially regain political momentum.