Netanyahu led Trump into war with Iran. Now he won’t let him end it

June 2, 2026 — 9:30am

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For Benjamin Netanyahu, a US-Iran peace deal that leaves the Islamic Republic in place and free to rebuild presents an existential threat.

This prospect more than anything else explains why Israel’s prime minister ordered the rapid escalation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon in recent days, analysts said.

The bombing is designed to undermine the finely balanced peace negotiations, something that appeared to bear fruit on Monday when Iran said it was “suspending talks” with the US.

“Given the continuation of the Zionist regime’s crimes in Lebanon, and considering that Lebanon was among the preconditions of the ceasefire, which has now been violated on all fronts – including Lebanon – the Iranian negotiating team is suspending talks and the exchange of texts through the mediator,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

Israel to halt planned assault on Beirut after phone call, Trump says

But just as quickly as he threatened Beirut, he was brought to heel by Donald Trump, who, in a phone call, persuaded – or told – Netanyahu to call the latest strikes off.

This leaves him in an uncomfortable position.

Netanyahu has built his brand and career around opposing Tehran.

When Israeli jets launched the first strikes of the attack on Iran in the early hours of February 28, the great majority of Jewish Israelis cheered Netanyahu on.

It was assumed that the man they call “Mr Iran” was but days away from realising his lifetime pledge: the destruction of........

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