
What would Israel do if America left it alone in a war with Iran?
Key Takeaways
- Israel is rearranging military plans for a potential U.S. withdrawal from a war with Iran
- Israel aims to preserve independent military decision-making amid changing U.S. involvement
- Reuters cited a Trump adviser saying White House conflicts affect his war statements
White House divisions
Reuters reported—citing an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump—that there are conflicts inside the White House affecting his changing statements about the course of the war.
“Israel is preparing to rearrange its military plans to confront the possibility of the United States withdrawing from the war on Iran, while preserving its ability to make military decisions independently”
The agency quoted an informed source saying that Trump stated in closed discussions that he did not want an early withdrawal and stressed the need to "finish the mission," despite some aides advising ending the conflict in a way that could be portrayed as a victory even if most Iranian leaders survived.

Israel's contingency plans
Israeli affairs expert Nihad Abu Ghosh told Al Jazeera that Israel is preparing for the unlikely possibility of Washington withdrawing from the war on Iran.
He said Tel Aviv will adhere to the American decision on the Iranian front while giving itself wide latitude on the Lebanese front to take independent steps in air and offensive operations "regardless of the outcome of the war in Iran."

Abu Ghosh said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at the possibility of canceling the maritime gas field division agreement with Lebanon and that Israel appears satisfied with what it has achieved so far with the United States.
Abu Ghosh added that Israel threatens to launch a new round of military operations against Iran "if any threat emerges."
Operational shift
Military expert Nidal Abu Zaid said the Israeli war effort in the war on Iran has seen a tangible shift in recent days, with two-thirds of the air effort now devoted to Israel itself, compared to one-third for the American side.
“Israel is preparing to rearrange its military plans to confront the possibility of the United States withdrawing from the war on Iran, while preserving its ability to make military decisions independently”
He told Al Jazeera that this change reflects Tel Aviv’s readiness to assume direct responsibility for executing the "target bank" and ensuring the delivery of precision strikes on high-value targets.
Abu Zaid said this readiness would allow Israel to control the field in any potential scenario for Washington to end the war.
Escalation and exit options
Richard Whites, a security and military strategy expert at Wikstrad, told Al Jazeera that Washington is developing preventive and proactive measures to constrain Iranian capabilities with clear directives to avoid steps that could lead to further escalation.
Whites said a potential scenario similar to what happened with the Ansar Allah (Houthis) in Yemen—halting bombing and a limited ceasefire—has not been activated as risks and Iranian capabilities continue to be assessed.

Former U.S. national security adviser for strategic communications Mark Feivel told Al Jazeera there are conflicts inside the White House with pressure from hardliners to continue the attack on Iran while military and diplomatic teams seek a balance and aim to open diplomatic channels and preserve Israel’s strategic decision-making.
Since February 28, Israel and the United States have been carrying out attacks on Iran, which have killed and injured hundreds of people, including the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the defense minister, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, and other military commanders, and Tehran has responded by launching rockets and drones toward Israel and targeting what it describes as "American interests" in Arab and Gulf countries, causing deaths, injuries and damage to civilian facilities including airports, ports, and residential buildings.
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