THE extent to which Israel is prepared to go it alone in a threatened strike against Iran was made clear last week in reported discussions between the Israelis and the US.

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed issues relating to Israel’s expected provocation against Iran in their first call in over a month last week.
 
The White House has said that Biden emphasised the need for “a diplomatic arrangement” to allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians displaced by fighting to return to their homes, urged Israel to minimise civilian casualties in air strikes against Beirut, and discussed “the urgent need to renew diplomacy” on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
 
Clearly, Biden’s words have had little impact, with the IDF carrying out its heaviest bombing raids so far just over 24 hours after the Biden-Netanyahu conversation.
 
It is apparent that the US is frustrated by being repeatedly caught off guard by Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon but appears incapable of summoning the political will to head off further escalation.

There was some hope that the US would learn more about what Israel was contemplating when Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin were scheduled to meet at the Pentagon last week.