Israel is preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting as a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is set to begin on Monday at 5 p.m. Israel time.
During a cabinet meeting, ministers received security briefings on Iran and Lebanon and were told to prepare for multiple scenarios, including a potential return to large-scale hostilities. While U.S. officials have indicated that the likelihood of President Donald Trump resuming a broad bombing campaign remains relatively low, Israeli officials said preparations are underway for that possibility, as well as for a potential surprise Iranian attack.
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(Photo: AFP - SOURCE: UGC / UNKNOWN, REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak/Stringer, Oliver CONTRERAS/AFP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke Sunday with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who updated him on the collapse of negotiations with Iran following talks in Islamabad.
“The ceasefire arrangement was that the fighting would stop and Iran would reopen the straits immediately. They did not do that,” Netanyahu said. “The Americans could not accept this.”
Netanyahu said the central issue for Washington is the removal of Iran’s enriched uranium and ensuring that enrichment does not resume for years to come.
“Because Iran violated the rules, President Trump decided to impose a naval blockade,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel supports the move and remains in close coordination with the United States.
He dismissed reports of tensions between the two allies, saying coordination with Washington is at an unprecedented level.
“There has never been such coordination — not in the history of the state and not in the history of the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said, adding that the cooperation enhances Israel’s ability to counter existential threats.