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Israeli political analysts say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking approval from U.S. President Donald Trump to launch new military operations in the region, particularly targeting Iran and Lebanon.
Ahead of a planned meeting between Netanyahu and Trump on Dec. 29 in Florida, Israeli media reports have increasingly focused on the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iran and an escalation of military actions in Lebanon.
The reports come amid differing views within Netanyahu’s government, with some officials calling for renewed attacks on Gaza while Trump is seen as pushing to advance a plan to end the conflict there.
Maariv newspaper analyst Avi Ashkenazi said “the winds of war have begun to blow in the region,” arguing that the key question is not whether a war will start, but when.
Ashkenazi pointed to recent remarks by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who warned that Israel could strike Iran again.
He said Trump appears determined to resolve the Gaza issue and does not want domestic Israeli political figures such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir or Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to derail that effort.
Ashkenazi said Trump views Syria as a potential economic asset for the United States due to its mineral resources and is determined to establish a new system there.
On Lebanon, he suggested Trump may allow Israel to continue operations in southern Lebanon as long as the situation does not spiral out of control.
He described Iran as the main unresolved issue on the regional “chessboard,” claiming Tehran has temporarily halted its nuclear program while working to rebuild its defense capabilities, particularly air defense systems.
Ashkenazi said Israel has destroyed about 50% of Iran’s missile and rocket arsenal, pushing Tehran into an intensified arms buildup focused on missiles and drones.
Ashkenazi said Israel is ready to strike Iran but needs a green light from Trump and would likely want the U.S. military as a key partner in such an operation.
Channel 14 analyst Tamir Morag said there is growing concern in Israel that the gains from previous operations against Iran could erode over time, especially if Tehran restores its military capabilities to the point of launching large-scale ballistic missile attacks that could threaten Israel’s air defense systems.
Morag said Netanyahu is expected to discuss the possibility of new attacks on Iran with Trump, noting uncertainty over whether the U.S. would take an active or limited role or simply approve Israeli action.
He said the sequence of potential conflicts remains unclear but suggested that Lebanon would likely be the next flashpoint, followed by Gaza and then Iran.
Morag also claimed that launching three rounds of attacks against Iran across three fronts in 2026 is within the realm of possibility.
Yedioth Ahronoth analyst Itamar Eichner said intense meetings are being held at the highest political levels in Israel ahead of the Netanyahu–Trump meeting, aimed at persuading Trump on key issues.
Eichner said these include disarming Hamas and Hezbollah, countering Iran’s expansion of ballistic missile production, and maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region.
He noted that a key dispute regarding Gaza centers on the timeline given to Hamas to disarm.
Eichner added that Israeli officials believe Israel will ultimately have to disarm Hamas on its own initiative, rather than through an international stabilization force that has yet to be established.
He said Netanyahu securing U.S. approval for a new military offensive would be viewed in Israel as a major political and strategic achievement.
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