Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back firmly against claims that Israel dragged the United States into its ongoing war with Iran, insisting that President Donald Trump makes his own decisions, according to BBC News.
At a tense news conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu called the accusations “fake news,” adding sharply, “Does anyone really think someone can tell President Trump what to do?” He praised Trump as a leader who acts in America’s best interest and, Netanyahu said, in the interest of “future generations.”
The Israeli leader made clear that the fighting would continue “as long as necessary” to dismantle what he called Iran’s “dangerous war machine,” singling out its missiles, drones, and nuclear programs.
The war, now approaching its third week, began after joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28 targeted Iranian military leaders and key facilities. From Washington, President Trump told reporters that no American ground troops would be sent into battle. He described the campaign as “ahead of schedule,” rejecting claims that the United States was sliding into a larger war but warning Iran against further aggression.
The conflict has already spilled beyond Israel and Iran. An Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, the world’s largest, triggered a fierce response. Iran fired missiles at Qatar’s Ras Laffan energy hub, one of the globe’s main sources of liquefied natural gas. The attack rattled energy markets, sending gas prices soaring across Europe.
Qatar’s prime minister condemned Iran’s retaliation as a “very dangerous escalation,” while regional analysts warned that strikes on critical energy sites could destabilize the entire Gulf. As oil prices climb and the fighting spreads, both Trump and Netanyahu project confidence. But the deepening turmoil suggests a war that may prove far harder to contain than either leader admits.
