Netanyahu Says Israel Will Continue to Attack Iran Despite Trump’s Deescalation Post

(Photo Credit: @ClashReport on X)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will continue “smashing” Iran while the United States discusses a potential deal to end the war with what’s left of Iran’s leadership.

Netanyahu shared the update in a video post a few hours after President Donald Trump said the U.S. and Iran have held “PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS” on a potential end to “HOSTILITIES”; Trump also announced a temporary halt on his plan to bomb Iran’s power plants, which was set to start on Monday night if Iran did not meet his deadline to “FULLY OPEN” the Strait of Hormuz.

Netanyahu — in a brief video posted on X — said that he had spoken with “our friend” Trump on Monday, and that he believes there is “an opportunity to leverage the tremendous achievements we have reached alongside the U.S. military to realize the goals of the war through an agreement that will safeguard our vital interests.”

He then said Israel will continue to strike Iran — as well as Lebanon — while the sides negotiate.

“We are smashing the missile program and the nuclear program, and we continue to deal severe blows to Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said.

His announcement was shared at 3:18 p.m. ET. It came after Trump warned Iran on Saturday that it had 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or suffer having its power plants blown up one by one.

Trump made the ultimatum on the same day Iran landed one of its most destructive blows yet against Israel, with a missile strike injuring 180 people in the desert town of Arad.

It also came as oil prices have surged in the weeks since Operation Epic Fury began — with oil jumping from $67.02 per barrel the day before the war started on February 28 to $98 last Friday; Trump’s announcement on Monday morning helped ease concerns about oil prices, with the price for a barrel dropping to $88.95.

Shortly after his announcement, Iranian state-linked media reported Monday that regime officials denied any talks with the Trump administration had happened.

Watch Netanyahu’s video update above via X.

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