How Israel is reacting to Trump’s ‘de-escalation’ with Iran

Al Jazeera
March 23, 2026
3 min read

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Trump's de-escalation approach to Iran conflicts with Israel's preference for maximum pressure and military deterrence.

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President Donald Trump is pursuing de-escalation with Iran, a shift that Israeli officials are expected to resist. Israel has long viewed Iran as an existential threat due to its nuclear program and support for militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, and has repeatedly pushed the U.S. to maintain maximum pressure on Tehran. Any reduction in U.S. hostility toward Iran could undermine Israeli security interests and complicate Trump's stated commitment to supporting Israel. The friction reflects a fundamental disagreement over Iran strategy: Israel favors continued confrontation and military deterrence, while Trump appears open to negotiation. Israeli responses will likely shape how aggressively the Trump administration pursues its de-escalation approach.

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