Israel seeking US strikes on Iran, but Trump 'just not there': Report

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Israel is pushing the United States to strike Iran, though President Donald Trump has reservations about launching further attacks against Tehran, a report published Tuesday cited a US official as saying.

Multiple Israeli officials, including Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eyal Zamir and Mossad Director David Barnea, have visited Washington in recent weeks as the US ramps up its forces in the region.

Trump warned Monday that "probably bad things will happen" to Iran if nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic fail, alluding to what he called the "biggest and the best" US Navy warships heading to the region.

Zamir briefed Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine on Israel's war plans over the weekend, according to multiple reports.

"It's safe to say that nothing came out of that meeting to change his or the president's mind on attacking Iran," the anonymous US official told Axios, referring to Caine and Trump. "It's really the Israelis who want a strike. The president is just not there."

Another senior US official told Axios that the US president "really does not want to do it."

In June 2025, Israel, backed by Washington, launched a 12-day attack on Iran that targeted military and nuclear sites as well as civilian infrastructure and killed senior commanders and scientists.

Iran responded by striking Israeli military and intelligence facilities with missiles and drones before the US carried out a wave of strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The attack drew to a rapid end then-ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.

Tuesday's report comes as negotiations between the US and Iran are scheduled to take place this week.

"I just spoke with (US) special envoy (Steve) Witkoff, and these talks, as of right now, are still scheduled. President Trump is always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Tuesday.

Witkoff had been scheduled to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday for talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to multiple reports published this week.

Axios, however, reported Tuesday that Iran demanded changes to the location and stipulated that Tehran wants to change the format.

Reports suggested that representatives from Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar were expected to join the talks, but Axios said Iran is now pushing to hold the talks directly. It also said Tehran wants to move the location from Istanbul to Oman.