WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump has privately informed several Middle Eastern allies that the United States does not intend to join Israel in its ongoing war against Iran unless American personnel or interests are directly attacked, according to two senior diplomats from countries briefed on the message.
The U.S. stance was conveyed twice in recent days — once in the hours following Israel’s initial strikes on Iranian facilities and again on Sunday, as regional tensions escalated. In both cases, the administration sought to communicate clearly that while the U.S. would continue to support Israel’s defense capabilities, it would not initiate offensive actions against Iran unless provoked.
“The Iranians are being very careful not to cross that line,” said one Arab diplomat with direct knowledge of discussions in Tehran. “Washington’s position is well-understood.”
While the United States has assisted in intercepting incoming missile threats aimed at Israel, Trump’s refusal to authorize direct participation marks a significant departure from previous U.S. involvement in the Middle East. The move reflects both his longstanding “America First” foreign policy and his broader efforts to avoid entangling the United States in new military conflicts abroad.
According to a U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity, Israeli leaders had also presented an opportunity over the weekend to eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump, however, declined to endorse the operation, reportedly telling Israeli counterparts that such a strike could risk further destabilizing the region unless Americans were first harmed.
In an interview Monday with ABC News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that conversations with the U.S. are ongoing but said Israel would act independently if necessary. “President Trump understands what’s at stake,” Netanyahu said. “He will do what is right for America, and we will do what is right for Israel.”
Administration officials emphasized that U.S. military assets remain on alert, with the USS Nimitz carrier strike group redeploying to the region and aerial refueling operations underway. But they cautioned that these measures were meant as deterrents, not indications of imminent engagement.
At a meeting during the G7 summit in Canada on Monday, President Trump told reporters that Iran had “missed its chance” to negotiate and that any attacks on U.S. forces would be met with overwhelming force.
“Iran is not winning this war,” he said. “They should talk—before it’s too late.”
While critics have accused the administration of abdicating leadership in the region, some of Trump’s key allies have praised the measured response.
“This is what strength looks like,” said Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky. “We don’t need to rush into another endless war. The President is showing discipline.”
The restrained posture contrasts with mounting pressure from some Israeli officials and American hawks who argue that the time to act is now — particularly with reports that Iran is nearing full nuclear capability. Netanyahu, in the ABC interview, did not rule out a future strike on Khamenei, calling it a potential “end to the war.”
Yet Trump, who has often framed himself as a dealmaker rather than a warmonger, has continued to suggest that diplomacy remains possible.
“Peace is the goal,” he said on social media Sunday night. “And I believe we can get there — just like we did with India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and others who said peace was impossible.”
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