It began with a blunt phone call: "I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.'" That warning from US President Donald Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported by Axios and confirmed by multiple sources, captured the tense and personal dynamic at the heart of a new spiral of violence between Israel and Iran.
On Sunday, Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel for the first time since a ceasefire in April. In response, Netanyahu prepared what Israeli officials described as the biggest wave of strikes on Iran since that ceasefire. But Trump stepped in. According to US officials, Trump called Netanyahu on Sunday evening and asked him not to hit back. After the conversation, Netanyahu told his senior military commanders to cancel the strikes. In a later television address, he said Israel was holding back "for now", but warned that any further Iranian attack would be met with a harsh response.
“Explains the dynamic between Trump and Netanyahu amid Iran strikes and US power in the region.”
Trump has long presented himself as a decisive broker in the Middle East. He launched the war on Iran with Israel on 28 February, and has since been wrangling with Tehran over a long-term ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and a new nuclear deal. But his relationship with Netanyahu has become increasingly fraught. In an earlier phone call, Trump reportedly called Netanyahu "f*ing crazy", adding: "You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your a. Everybody hates you now." On Monday, Trump told the BBC that if he tells Netanyahu to do something, "he does it." The Israeli prime minister, however, has privately acknowledged to aides that he has "no manoeuvre" to steer Trump's thinking on Iran.
Why does this matter for UK readers? Britain is deeply involved. The UK is part of the E3 group — along with France and Germany — that has been Kyiv's strongest ally in the war in Ukraine, and the group is also central to Middle East diplomacy. The UK and France lead the "coalition of the willing" providing security guarantees for Ukraine. The conflict in the Middle East distracts US attention and resources from Europe. Moreover, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has already sent global markets into turmoil, affecting oil prices and household bills in the UK. Any escalation risks further instability in the region, threatening British nationals, trade routes, and security interests.
Q: Why did Trump warn Netanyahu that he would be "on his own"? Trump is trying to force Iran and Israel into a ceasefire so he can negotiate a long-term deal with Tehran. He believes Netanyahu's defiance could derail those talks. The warning was a direct attempt to assert his authority and prevent a full-blown war that the US would be dragged into.
Q: Can Israel fight Iran without US support? Military experts say Israel has the capability to strike Iran alone, but it cannot sustain a prolonged conflict without US backing. "There's no doubt that Israel cannot go alone in this war for a long, long time, because the ammunition is consumable," said Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. US logistical support, intelligence, and diplomatic cover are essential for any sustained campaign.
Q: What is the Strait of Hormuz blockade and why does it affect the UK? Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes — in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks. The blockade sent global energy prices soaring. For UK consumers, this means higher petrol and heating bills. The British government has been part of efforts to secure the waterway's reopening as part of a broader ceasefire deal.
What happens next? For now, a fragile truce holds. Iran and Israel have conditionally committed to halting attacks, and Trump has urged both sides to hold their fire. But Netanyahu has made clear that any new Iranian strike will provoke a harsh response. The US is pushing for final negotiations on a peace deal, while also pressing on with a nuclear agreement. The next few weeks will be critical: if Iran or Israel breaks the ceasefire, the region could tip back into full-scale war — and the UK, along with its allies, will have to navigate a volatile and dangerous landscape.