U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday effectively greenlit Israeli military strikes on Iran’s missile and nuclear programs, publicly stating that he would support Israeli action if Tehran continues its weapons development.
Speaking to reporters alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said Israel would have U.S. backing to hit Iranian missile and nuclear facilities, a sharp shift that signals the collapse of diplomatic restraint tied to earlier negotiations with Tehran.
“If they continue with the missiles and nuclear program, Israel has the right to act — and we would support that,” Trump said, responding to questions ahead of a joint appearance with Netanyahu.
The remarks come after Iranian officials stated that Tehran has not halted its missile development or nuclear activities, despite international pressure and warnings from Washington and Israel.
Until now, Israeli strikes on Iran’s strategic missile and nuclear infrastructure had been restrained amid Trump’s efforts to pursue a negotiated framework with Tehran. Trump’s comments on Monday indicate that those talks are effectively over, removing a key political brake on Israeli military action.
Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s stance, reiterating Israel’s long-held position that Iran’s missile arsenal and nuclear ambitions pose an existential threat to Israeli security.
Trump also warned Iran against attempting to advance or rebuild its nuclear program, saying the consequences would be severe if Tehran continued down that path.
There was no immediate confirmation of imminent Israeli strikes, but regional analysts said Trump’s statement amounts to a clear political green light for Israel to act against Iranian targets, with U.S. diplomatic and strategic backing.
Iran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons while insisting it will continue developing missile capabilities, which it describes as defensive.