Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the Feb. 28 war planning sessions alongside President Trump, urging a joint strike to topple Iran. Within weeks, the U.S. pivoted to a cease‑fire, and Israeli officials say the Trump administration excluded them from subsequent truce negotiations. Significantly cut off from real‑time intel, Israel now scrapes information from regional contacts and its own surveillance of Tehran.

Netanyahu’s war narrative hinged on three goals: regime change, ending Iran’s nuclear program and destroying its missile arsenal. None materialized. Proposal calls for a 20-year suspension of Tehran’s nuclear activity, echoing 2015 accord Netanyahu once opposed. Proposal also includes sanctions relief, which minister Israel Katz warned could funnel billions into Tehran’s economy, enabling proxy groups like Hezbollah to restock.

With elections looming, Netanyahu’s credibility suffers as voters recall his promise of daily talks with Trump that never materialized. Israeli defense firms, long dependent on U.S. contracts, now face uncertainty over future procurement if Washington pursues a diplomatic settlement. The sidelining also raises questions about Israel’s strategic autonomy, prompting regional allies to reassess security collaborations.