Image Credentials: Image Title: How Netanyahu and Dermer Persuaded Trump to Expand Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Program Source: (sora.chatgpt) Date: June 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (sora.chatgpt), it does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer with Agencies
June 22, 2025
In a dramatic escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict, a new report reveals that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer played a pivotal role in convincing U.S. President Donald Trump to carry out a multi-target strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, expanding beyond initial plans to “finish the job.”
According to Israeli officials speaking to The Jerusalem Post, President Trump initially intended to target only Iran’s underground enrichment site in Fordow. However, after nearly a week of intense daily communication with Netanyahu, including a decisive phone call four days ago, the U.S. president broadened the scope of the operation to include the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities as well.
From Reluctance to Action
“Without Israel’s achievements and the results of its recent operations, the American president would never have even considered joining the strike,” an Israeli source told The Post. The source emphasized that Trump had been deeply impressed by the precision and success of Israel’s initial attacks on Iranian targets, which began roughly 10 days prior.
The U.S. ultimately struck fortified areas within Iran that Israeli forces had difficulty reaching, including hidden storage zones in the mountainous terrain of Isfahan containing enriched uranium and key infrastructure.
High-Level Coordination
Coordination between the two countries reached its peak during a critical call involving Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Netanyahu, Dermer, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. During that exchange, U.S. officials made “several operational requests,” and Israeli intelligence reportedly played a significant role in guiding the precision of American strikes.
“There was full cooperation,” the Israeli source confirmed. “The U.S. carried out the operation, but Israel contributed the intelligence that made it successful.”
The day before the operation, Netanyahu convened a security meeting with top ministers to inform them of the impending U.S. strike. At a subsequent cabinet session, Dermer recalled a conversation with Netanyahu from July 2000 in which the prime minister outlined his ultimate goal: “to eliminate the nuclear program.” “Now,” said Dermer, “it’s happening.”
Strategic Deception
In the lead-up to the attack, both nations reportedly engaged in a calculated misinformation campaign to give the appearance of a rift, aiming to catch Tehran off guard. “Even if the Iranians had known the strike was coming, there wasn’t anything they could have done to stop it,” an Israeli official said.
Tzachi Hanegbi, head of Israel’s National Security Council, confirmed to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the operation had been anticipated: “We knew about the strike—it wasn’t a surprise.”
Aftermath and Future Targets
Following the joint U.S.-Israeli offensive, Israeli intelligence believes that most of Iran’s nuclear program has been either destroyed or severely degraded. However, some secondary targets remain.
Israel is now shifting its strategic focus toward dismantling Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. Hanegbi noted that while some missile production sites have been eliminated, others continue operating and may be capable of rapid recovery.
Despite President Trump’s long-standing public stance against foreign entanglements, one senior Israeli official concluded: “Netanyahu and Minister Dermer worked tirelessly and succeeded in convincing the administration. Trump made the decision based on American interests—but they helped him see that stopping Iran’s nuclear program was in those interests.”
As tensions in the region remain at a boiling point, the long-term consequences of this unprecedented U.S.-Israeli joint strike are still unfolding. However, for now, both governments appear united in the belief that they have taken a decisive step toward preventing a nuclear-armed Iran.
Staff Writers at Open Chronicle produce in-depth, field-informed reporting on defense, diplomacy, cultural transformation, and global affairs. Known for clarity, accuracy, and analytical depth, they connect breaking developments to broader historical and strategic contexts. In addition to frontline journalism, Staff Writers also contribute to the Open Chronicle Encyclopedia, crafting authoritative entries that preserve critical knowledge and enrich public understanding.