Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied reports of a rift between the United States and Israel regarding Iran. He emphasized that both he and U.S. President Donald Trump share the same goals concerning Iran's nuclear program, while also leaving open the possibility of Israel acting independently.
In a video interview with Fox News' "Sunday Briefing" on July 5, Netanyahu responded to a question about potential divisions between the U.S. and Israel, stating, "I don’t think so." He added, "The U.S. calls us a model ally, and we actually fight together."
Netanyahu reiterated, "We have the same goal regarding Iran; we want Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program and dismantle its nuclear enrichment facilities." However, he also indicated that Israel could take independent action regardless of the outcome of U.S.-Iran negotiations, asserting, "Whether there is an agreement or not, as long as I am Prime Minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons."
These comments come amid reports of rising tensions between Trump and Netanyahu over U.S.-Iran negotiations and issues along the Lebanon front. It has been reported that Trump expressed strong dissatisfaction with Netanyahu as Israel continued airstrikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah.
In an interview with Axios the previous day, Trump stated, "We are getting along very well," and mentioned that Netanyahu had requested a meeting at the White House, adding, "He knows who the boss is."
Netanyahu praised Trump as "Israel's greatest friend" on the same day, attempting to quell rumors of discord while reaffirming a tough stance on the Iran nuclear issue.
Additionally, Netanyahu claimed that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon have requested to be annexed by Israel.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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