A source familiar with the Trump administration's moves against Iran told Israel Hayom that the next stages have already been set. According to the source, the ceasefire that Trump decided to extend will end within a few days. After that, an overwhelming military strike will be launched, with even greater force than the one the US has inflicted on Iran so far. That attack will continue for several days, after which the military operations against Iran will come to an end.
According to the source, the only scenario that could prevent these developments would be a very significant softening of Iran's position on the nuclear issue. For now, however, all signs indicate that decision-makers in Iran have no intention of compromising.
On Wednesday, Iranian propaganda agencies published videos mocking the way Trump is conducting contacts with the country. The videos claimed that Iran has never negotiated with Trump. In addition, despite Trump's willingness to send Vice President JD Vance to talks with Iran in Islamabad, the Iranians themselves have no intention of showing up.
A Western diplomat told Israel Hayom that Trump has so far refrained from bombing Iran's energy infrastructure because of the expected impact on global oil prices. At the same time, officials in Israel and the US understand that in order to finish the job militarily, the action now required is the destruction of the infrastructure that allows the Iranian regime to function.
Therefore, unless there is a surprise, it appears that another US-Israeli attack on Iran, focused on national infrastructure, is unavoidable. As recalled, Trump has threatened several times to strike Iran devastatingly if it does not meet his demands.
Israel and Lebanon
Meanwhile, the Israeli diplomatic system is preparing for the second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, which will take place at the US State Department in Washington. The meeting, defined as a preparatory discussion ahead of negotiations, will be led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Also taking part will be Rubio's director of policy planning, consular official Michael Needham, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and US Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa. Lebanon will be represented by its ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad.
Israel will be represented by its ambassador in Washington, Dr. Yechiel Leiter, who was in Israel in recent days for Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism. Leiter lost his son, Capt. Moshe Yedidya, at the start of the war.
One of the issues Leiter is expected to raise, in coordination with the US, is the Lebanese law barring recognition of Israel or meetings with Israelis. In Jerusalem, officials want the law repealed, both as a confidence-building measure that would prove the Beirut government is serious in its intentions, and in order to eventually make peace agreements between the countries possible, a step that senior Lebanese government officials have said they are interested in.
