Washington, DC – Political analyst and Republican Party member Irina Tsukerman revealed details of the sensitive issues Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will bring to his upcoming summit with US President Donald Trump. She asserted that Israel’s new “target bank” against Iran is not merely a military posturing, but a calculated effort to frame the dialogue with Washington around the “timing and inevitability” of action, not its legitimacy.
Encrypted messages to Washington and Tehran
In exclusive statements to “Voice Of Emirates” Tsukerman explained that revealing updated target lists aims to shape the strategic environment before the Trump meeting. She said, “The message is directed at Washington as much as it is at Tehran. Israel wants to move from the stage of questioning the ‘legitimacy of the strike’ to discussing the ‘timing and inevitability,’ to convince Trump that a limited operation now could prevent a comprehensive and dangerous confrontation later.”
She noted that Israeli intelligence is closely monitoring the speed at which Iran is rebuilding its strategic depth, particularly with regard to air defense systems and command centers. She emphasized that Israel will not wait until Iran possesses a “reliable deterrent.”
The concept of “green light” under Trump
Regarding the expected US support, Zuckerman explained that Israel is not seeking an “explicit mandate,” but rather clarity on four key issues once the first missile is launched. These issues include intelligence sharing and avoiding interference in airspace.
This also includes defensive coverage for Israeli and American assets, and defining the red lines that would require direct American intervention if Iran retaliates.
Tsukerman considered the implicit agreement on these points to be a “green light.” She indicated that Trump prefers “decisive action followed by de-escalation” rather than open warfare.
“Campaign Between the Wars” strategy
The American researcher predicted that Israel might not pursue a single, comprehensive operation, but rather a “campaign of intermittent strikes” designed to keep Tehran destabilized. This approach aligns with the “campaign between wars” doctrine.
She added: “Netanyahu is trying to portray Israel as proactive in front of Trump. By doing so, he ensures that if Israel carries out a strike shortly after the meeting, he can claim that it was coordinated and served American strategic interests.”
Iranian reaction and conditional stance
Regarding the potential for escalation, Tsukerman believes that Tehran understands that any direct and decisive response could draw the United States deeper into the conflict. Therefore, its response is likely to be “asymmetrical or delayed,” carried out through proxies or cyber operations.
She concluded her remarks to Voice Of Emirates by emphasizing that Israel’s actions in the coming days depend entirely on what Netanyahu hears from Trump in closed-door meetings. If Trump shows tolerance for “clear consequences” for an Iranian response, the likelihood of such action increases significantly. She stressed that the dialogue between the two leaders revolves around “formulating the next phase of pressure,” not resolving the conflict.
