Netanyahu denies dragging Trump into Iran war despite NYT report on months-long lobbying

2026-03-03 - 08:52

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected accusations Tuesday that he maneuvered the United States into its current military confrontation with Iran, calling such allegations "ridiculous" in a Fox News interview. Netanyahu praised President Donald Trump as "the strongest leader in the world" who "does what he thinks is right for America" without needing persuasion about Iranian threats. "You don't have to drag him into anything. He does what he thinks is right, and this is right," Netanyahu stated. NYT Report Details Months of Lobbying The denials follow a New York Times investigation citing American and Israeli officials, diplomats, lawmakers, and intelligence figures describing Netanyahu's central role in steering Washington toward war. According to the report, Netanyahu first raised targeting Iran's missile sites during a December visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Over subsequent months, he worked to prevent diplomatic talks from derailing military plans, securing broader US involvement in a campaign aimed at bringing down Iranian leadership. The report characterized the US decision to strike as a significant victory for Netanyahu's strategic objectives. Diplomatic Context and Escalation Israel launched what it termed a "preemptive" attack early Saturday under the name "Operation Lion's Roar," declaring a nationwide state of emergency. The strikes came as US-Iran nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman were actively ongoing, with a Geneva round concluding just last week. Since the joint US-Israeli campaign began, senior Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have been killed, with Tehran retaliating against Gulf countries hosting US assets. Six US service members have died in the widening conflict.