The War Cabinet meeting, during which ministers were updated on the American decision to join the war and strike Iran, was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon. However, it was postponed out of concern that holding the meeting then would raise suspicions that religious ministers were traveling on the Sabbath. It was therefore rescheduled to 10:00 p.m., after the Sabbath had ended.
All members of the war management cabinet attended the meeting: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. Also present in the room were top security establishment officials.
At the start of the meeting, the ministers received briefings, and Netanyahu informed those present that President Donald Trump had decided to proceed with the strike—and even shared the exact time of the operation: 1:40 a.m.
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The ministers were not surprised, as they had been updated days earlier that this was the likely direction. They also drew their conclusions from the fact that no discussions were being held in Israel about contingency plans in case the Americans chose not to bomb. “It was pretty clear that the Americans were going to strike,” said sources familiar with the matter. “The atmosphere was highly emotional, and the phrase ‘siyata dishmaya’ [divine assistance] was repeated several times in the room.”
Around 2:00 a.m., the ministers watched the strike live. While they didn’t see footage from the American aircraft itself, they did see explosions and fire on-screen. In that moment, applause broke out in the room, and light refreshments were served. “It wasn’t a party, but the refreshments were more elaborate than usual—given the historic nature of the moment,” said one source.
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The ministers expressed particular praise for Minister Dermer, who led coordination efforts with the Americans. “In the end, the mood wasn’t boastful. There was no euphoria. No one thought this was over. But there was a clear understanding that this was a significant and historic step forward—a moment of shared history,” said one official familiar with the details.
When asked how long the war might continue, he responded: “There’s no way to know—but there’s no question our situation is much better than before. The entire world now understands the reality.”