Israel fears that the U.S. may accept a ceasefire without regime change, leaving the country’s hardline Islamic government in place.
By World Israel News Staff
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are diverging over whether regime change in Iran should be a goal of the ongoing war, according to an Axios report.
While regime change was initially hinted at as a possible objective of the operation, Trump has since walked back suggestions that the collapse of Iran’s Islamic regime is necessary to declare victory.
Netanyahu, though careful not to state such intentions outright, has increasingly appealed to the Iranian public to rise up against their government, signaling that regime change remains a high priority for Israel.
During a phone call last week, Netanyahu reportedly urged Trump to publicly call on Iranians to take to the streets in mass protests against the regime.
“Why the hell should we tell people to take to the streets when they’ll just get mowed down,” Trump reportedly replied.
The following day, in a video message timed with Nowruz, the traditional Persian New Year, Netanyahu appeared to echo that call directly to the Iranian people.
“Our aircraft are striking terrorist operatives on the ground, on roads and in public squares. This is meant to allow the brave Iranian people to celebrate the Festival of Fire. So go out and celebrate…we are watching from above,” Netanyahu said.
Despite these appeals, no mass protests have materialized in Iran since the outbreak of the war. Netanyahu has reportedly expressed frustration with the Mossad over the lack of a popular uprising.
Israel has long viewed Iran’s leadership as an existential threat, with the Islamic regime maintaining a hostile stance toward the Jewish state and repeatedly calling for its destruction.
Trump, however, has recently signaled a desire to wind down the conflict and pursue a ceasefire that would end the fighting even if the current regime remains in power — albeit significantly weakened after the assassinations of many senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.