As the US Navy prepared to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports, the Israeli Prime Minister stood before his cabinet and declared Israel’s full support for Washington’s decision. “Iran violated the rules (of the peace talks in Pakistan), President Trump decided to impose a naval blockade,” Netanyahu said, adding that his government is in “constant coordination” with the United States on the matter. Only a day earlier, the Jerusalem District Court had cancelled hearings scheduled for Netanyahu’s own testimony in his long-running corruption trial, after his lawyers argued that the ongoing security situation made it impossible for the Prime Minister to testify.
Netanyahu sought to present the breakdown of the Islamabad talks as a principled American response to Iranian non-compliance. According to the Prime Minister, Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire and the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but failed to deliver. The collapse of the talks, he argued, was due to Washington’s refusal to tolerate Iran’s “blatant violation” of these terms. It is pertinent to mention, however, that most of the terms of the agreement were never made public. The United States, Iran, and Pakistan all agreed to keep the framework confidential, leaving ample room for selective interpretation. Moreover, Netanyahu’s own account of the breakdown places the “explosion” squarely on the American side. “The breakdown came from the American side, which could not tolerate Iran’s violation of the terms for entering negotiations,” he told his ministers.
Perhaps the most revealing moment of Netanyahu’s cabinet address came when he detailed his phone conversation with Vice President JD Vance. According to Netanyahu, Vance made it clear that the “central issue” for the Trump administration is the removal of all enriched uranium from Iran and “ensuring that there is no further enrichment in the years ahead, even decades ahead; no enrichment within Iran.” Tehran, for its part, has consistently maintained that its nuclear activities are peaceful and conducted under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Even as Netanyahu celebrated the blockade, Israeli forces continued their relentless assault on Lebanon. On Monday, the Israeli military announced that it had eliminated “250+ Hezbollah terrorists and commanders” in its largest strike campaign to date. Since fighting resumed on March 2, Israeli attacks have killed 2,055 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese health authorities. The bombardment has intensified even as the US-Iran ceasefire entered its second week, with Netanyahu vowing to create a “security buffer” in southern Lebanon. Just days ago, the Jerusalem District Court granted Netanyahu’s request to cancel his corruption trial testimony this week, citing “security concerns.” The war, it appears, serves a dual purpose: it allows Netanyahu to posture as a wartime leader while keeping the judges at bay.