Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing political pressure after the Israeli American war effort failed to topple the Iranian government, despite earlier expectations that a decisive military strike would rapidly destabilise Tehran and reshape the regional balance of power.
According to the Hebrew outlet Walla, Netanyahu had built much of his political future around the confrontation with Iran. The report stated that he believed convincing US President Donald Trump to launch a direct attack on Tehran would deliver a historic victory capable of transforming both the Middle East and Netanyahu’s standing inside Israel.
Netanyahu’s High Stakes Strategy
The report said Netanyahu viewed the operation against Iran as the defining opportunity of his political career. He reportedly believed that if he could persuade Washington to lead a military assault against Iran, Israel’s largest regional adversary, it would trigger a strategic earthquake across the region and potentially strengthen his domestic political position amid ongoing corruption trials.
Walla noted that Netanyahu invested enormous effort into influencing the Trump administration. This reportedly included extensive discussions with Trump himself, senior White House officials, Republican influencers, the vice president, the secretary of state, and the defence secretary.
According to the report, Netanyahu carefully studied Trump’s political psychology and understood his desire to be viewed as a historic figure and Israel’s strongest ally in Washington. The outlet argued that Netanyahu used this understanding to gain Trump’s sympathy and support through both private communication and a coordinated media strategy.
Media Campaign Targeting Trump’s Base
The report highlighted that media influence played a central role in Netanyahu’s strategy. It claimed Netanyahu deliberately focused on appearing across conservative American media platforms, closely followed by Trump and his voter base, including Fox News, right-wing television networks, conservative podcasts, evangelical media circles, and right-aligned radio stations.
Walla stated that Trump closely follows media narratives surrounding his presidency and frequently amplifies Netanyahu’s interviews on his own social media platforms. Netanyahu reportedly reassured Trump that the war against Iran would be short and decisive, appealing to an American public exhausted by prolonged overseas conflicts.
The report added that Trump, despite campaigning on promises to end wars and reduce global tensions, was persuaded that a coordinated American Israeli strike could quickly collapse the Iranian government. Netanyahu allegedly convinced him that internal unrest, combined with covert operations conducted by Mossad and the CIA, would accelerate the fall of the Iranian state and secure Trump a place in history.
Iran Remains Standing
However, the anticipated collapse never materialised.
According to Walla, Iran’s leadership structure remains intact, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maintaining firm control while preparing for retaliation. The report stated that Trump has privately expressed a growing desire to end the conflict, while Netanyahu has become increasingly unsettled by the failure of the original war objectives.
The outlet described Netanyahu as politically cornered, arguing that the opening strikes against Iran failed to create the conditions necessary for regime change. It also noted that Tehran managed to disrupt aspects of the American war strategy, undermining expectations of a rapid victory.
Political Fallout Inside Israel
Walla reported that Netanyahu had hoped the war would produce a triumphant political moment, including a symbolic victory visit by Trump to Israel and a renewed electoral surge for Netanyahu’s Likud bloc despite the fallout from the 7 October attack.
Instead, the Israeli prime minister now faces mounting uncertainty ahead of the next Knesset elections, expected within roughly six months.
The report revealed growing concern inside Netanyahu’s camp over declining enthusiasm among core Likud supporters. According to the outlet, Netanyahu fears many traditional supporters may simply stay home on election day rather than vote for rival parties, a scenario that could seriously damage his chances of retaining power.
