A joint U.S.-Israeli military strike on Iran on February 28, 2026, has plunged the Middle East into a major conflict. The operation followed months of deepening ties between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ultimately overriding the objections of U.S. intelligence officials who warned against the move. According to a report by The New York Times, Netanyahu successfully lobbied Trump to authorize the attack, marking a drastic departure from the brief period of optimism that defined the relationship just months prior.
A volatile diplomatic evolution
In July 2025, Netanyahu visited the White House and formally nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. By October, the two leaders celebrated a breakthrough when Israel and Hamas signed a U.S.-brokered peace plan for Gaza. The agreement required the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the release of all hostages, and the eventual disarmament of Hamas in exchange for a permanent ceasefire. However, the cooperation quickly shifted toward shielding the Israeli leader from legal jeopardy. In December 2025, Trump intervened in Israel's domestic affairs by writing to President Isaac Herzog to request a pardon for Netanyahu regarding long-standing corruption charges. Simultaneously, the Trump administration took direct aim at international legal bodies, imposing sanctions on two judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in retaliation for the court's November 2024 decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Escalation at the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing regional violence
Following the February offensive, which Trump claimed successfully destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the conflict has entered a new phase. According to La Tercera, Netanyahu has officially backed a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows the collapse of negotiations in Islamabad, where Iran reportedly refused to open the strait, halt uranium enrichment, or eliminate existing stockpiles. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the blockade will be applied impartially to any vessel entering or leaving Iranian ports.
While the administration claims the initial military engagement concluded after 12 days, the resulting blockade has intensified the global oil price spike. Meanwhile, violence continues to escalate on the ground; according to Al Jazeera, an Israeli air attack on April 13, 2026, killed at least three people outside a school in Deir el-Balah, Gaza. Simultaneously, Israeli forces conducted raids across the occupied West Bank, resulting in the arrest of at least 30 Palestinians. Netanyahu, in a statement reported by La Tercera, characterized the military actions as existential, stating that without these strikes, Iranian nuclear sites would have become synonymous with the horrors of the Holocaust.
