Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated once again, raising fears of a potential military confrontation in the Middle East. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for providing weapons and ammunition that had been delayed by the Biden administration. He expressed his gratitude, stating that the munitions would help Israel “finish the job against Iran’s terror axis.” He said the weapons would help Israel in its fight against Iran and its allied militant groups, including Hamas.
Netanyahu described Trump as “the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.” In a video statement, he said, “He’s shown it by sending us all the munitions that were being held up. This way he is giving Israel the tools we need to finish the job against Iran’s terror axis.”
“Donald Trump is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,” Netanyahu said in a video statement in English.
Did He Meant To Attack Iran?
Netanyahu has long expressed his opposition to Iran, its nuclear programme and its proxies, which include Palestinian militant group Hamas with which Israel has been fighting in Gaza since October 2023. Reports also suggest that the Israeli PM made similar remarks last month during a news conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying that Israel had already dealt a “mighty blow” to Iran’s network of militant groups since the Gaza war began in October 2023. There his reference was about the organisations like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, as Iran calls them its “axis of resistance.”
With Netanyahu, Trump, who returned to the White House in January, US has reinstated a “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, mirroring his approach during his first term. On Saturday, Rubio announced he had signed a declaration to speed up the delivery of $4 billion in military assistance to Israel. He also confirmed that a partial arms embargo imposed under former President Joe Biden had been lifted.
Israel-Iran War In Looming?
The latest developments come amid increasing hostilities in the Middle East. Reports suggest that Iranian-backed forces have intensified their activities, leading to heightened alert levels in Israel. The drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea, clashes in the West Bank, and proxy conflicts in Syria and Lebanon which happened last year have all contributed to the mounting tension between Israel and The Muslim Country.
Last year, Israel carried out a wave of retaliatory airstrikes on Iran after Tehran carried out a second missile attack on Israel.
A showdown between Israel and Iran happened last year as the war between the Israel and Hamas intensified. Israel pounded Iran with a series of airstrikes on October 26, 2024, saying it was targeting military sites in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired upon Israel on October 1, 2024. in which around 200 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel, Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months.
Iran Deploying Air Defenses To Brace For Possible US-Israeli strike
The Times of Israel reports that Iran is deploying air defenses in anticipation of a possible U.S.-Israeli strike. Citing The Telegraph, the report states that Tehran has deployed additional air defense systems around key nuclear and missile sites.
“They [Iranian authorities] are just waiting for the attack and are anticipating it every night and everything has been on high alert – even in sites that no one knows about,” a source was quoted telling the news outlet, saying that concerns have heightened with rhetoric from new US President Donald Trump. However, An official told the newspaper that there was an understanding in Tehran that Iran’s already-weakened air defenses “may not be effective in the event of a large-scale strike.”
IAEA Report On Iran’s Nuclear Power Plant
According to The New York Times, Iran has significantly ramped up its production of highly enriched uranium since December, adding to its growing stockpile of near-weapons-grade material. A report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reveals that Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%—just below the threshold typically required for nuclear weapons—has increased by 92.5 kilograms.
This development comes at a time of heightened tensions, with growing concerns that Iran might consider pursuing nuclear weapons as it faces mounting challenges across the region. The pressure has also been intensifying from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently vowed to “finish the job” against Iran with U.S. support.
While Iran insists that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful, civilian purposes, recent statements from Iranian officials suggest that discussions about potential changes to the country’s nuclear doctrine are happening more openly. A U.S. intelligence report released in December warned that this shift in rhetoric could embolden those within Iran’s leadership who advocate for nuclear weapons development.
