President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reaffirmed a strategy of intensified economic pressure on Iran, focusing on disrupting its oil exports to China, despite differing views on the ultimate objective of the escalation. The agreement, reached during a meeting at the White House on February 11, 2026, centers on leveraging a recent executive order signed by Trump authorizing a 25 percent tariff on entities conducting business with Iran, a move directly aimed at curtailing China’s significant purchases of Iranian crude.
Following the meeting, Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that he advocated for the continuation of negotiations with Iran, but also alluded to the potential for stronger measures. “There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister grasp that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be… Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them,” he wrote.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the leaders discussed Iran, Gaza, and broader regional developments, emphasizing the need for continued close coordination and Israel’s security concerns in the context of ongoing negotiations. According to reports, Netanyahu privately conveyed to Trump that any agreement with Iran would be ineffective, a position some analysts believe is intended to increase the likelihood of military confrontation.
Despite the hawkish stance, the Trump administration has maintained diplomatic channels. Oman hosted indirect talks between U.S. And Iranian officials on February 6, and President Trump subsequently announced plans for a new round of negotiations. U.S. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet with Iranian officials in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday for a second round of discussions.
The U.S. Is reportedly proposing a suspension of uranium enrichment by Iran for a period of three to five years, alongside the removal of 450kg of highly enriched uranium from the country. However, Netanyahu is reportedly pushing for the inclusion of additional, more stringent conditions, such as limitations on Iran’s ballistic missile program and a severing of ties with regional proxy groups.
Mohannad Mustafa, an expert on Israeli affairs, told Al Jazeera Arabic that Israel’s insistence on expanding the scope of any potential deal is a deliberate tactic to ensure its failure. “Israel knows Iran will not accept these conditions,” Mustafa said. “By placing them, Israel is saying its only option is war. The current government has moved beyond using military force to achieve political settlements; war has become the goal itself.”
While the focus remains on Iran’s nuclear program, Palestinian leaders have expressed concern that Israel is exploiting regional tensions to advance its policies in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli cabinet recently approved measures to facilitate the seizure of Palestinian lands for settlement expansion, a move widely seen as a major obstacle to a two-state solution.
Mustafa Barghouti, general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, stated that the emphasis on Iran serves as a distraction from Israel’s accelerating annexation policies. “The picture is clear,” Barghouti told Al Jazeera Arabic. “Israel wants to be the sole imperial power in the Middle East. They are using the pretext of the Iranian threat to drive the final nail into the coffin of the Oslo Accords, stripping the Palestinian Authority [PA] of powers even in Area A.”
Liqa Makki, a senior researcher at the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, suggested that a potential U.S.-Iran conflict could provide cover for mass expulsions of Palestinians. “If war breaks out, Israel will exploit the global distraction to execute what it dreams of but fears to announce: real annexation and population transfer,” Makki said. “When the dust settles, the West Bank will look completely different.”
The renewed focus on Iran’s nuclear capabilities has also prompted renewed debate regarding Western perceptions of Israel’s own undeclared nuclear arsenal. Barghouti dismissed the narrative that Israel faces an existential threat from Iran, stating, “Israel possesses 200 nuclear warheads and is one of the strongest military powers in the world. The existential threat is being faced by the Palestinian people, who are being liquidated.”
Netanyahu has characterized Iran as the “head of the octopus” coordinating a multi-front campaign through allies in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. However, the weakening of Hezbollah and the diminished influence of Bashar al-Assad in Syria have reportedly weakened Iran’s “Axis of Resistance.”
