Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, stated that the decision to initiate a military operation against Iran was made solely by the United States. He refuted accusations that Israel was the instigator of the conflict, reports TRT.
According to Herzog, U.S. President Donald Trump made this decision himself, and the Israeli leader emphasized that the American president does not require external pressure from allies.
“He does not need Israel to make decisions,” Herzog noted.
Earlier, Axios, citing its sources, reported that Washington and Tel Aviv agreed to commence military actions during a phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 23. This conversation was characterized as a pivotal moment after which the military operation against Iran began.
However, Trump presented the events in a different light. He claims that it was Israel that initiated the war. In a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the U.S. president stated that Iran was allegedly preparing an attack and could strike first. This, according to him, was the reason for his support of the military operation.
Trump also noted that his position may have accelerated Israel's actions.
“Maybe I pushed them a little,” he said, commenting on the start of the strikes.
Nevertheless, opinions within the American administration differ. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Israel was the first to decide to attack Iran, and the U.S. joined the operation later. He added that Washington aimed to protect its military bases in the Middle East from potential Iranian attacks.
Later, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt clarified that Rubio did not claim that Israel had involved the U.S. in the war.
American officials informed lawmakers during a closed briefing for Congress that Israel's preparation for the strike accelerated Washington's response. The Pentagon expressed concerns that Iran could retaliate with strikes against American troops in the region.
According to media reports, the U.S. and Israel had been preparing the operation for several months. Israel began its strikes on February 28 as part of Operation "Lion's Roar," while the U.S. supported the attack with its campaign called "Epic Fury."
The article "Does Israel want to absolve itself of responsibility for the war? Tel Aviv claims that the U.S. made the decision to attack Iran on its own" was first published on the K-News website.
