From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
As Trump weighs next move on Iran, Israel said wary of rejoining fight ‘only to be told to stop’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Israel’s security cabinet held a six-hour meeting yesterday to discuss possible scenarios of escalation against Iran, as officials voice concern that Jerusalem could embark on a renewed military campaign only to then be pressed by Washington to halt it after several days, Channel 12 reports.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to coordinate on the various scenarios, and discuss respective American and Israeli interests, according to the report, which cites Israeli officials.
One official tells the Hebrew network that Jerusalem is wary of rejoining the fray only to be stopped by a Washington diktat, as has occurred in past rounds of fighting with Iran.
“Our interest in this campaign depends on its substance. We do not want to find ourselves entering another military campaign only to be told to stop after a few days,” the official says.
There is no indication from the report, however, that Washington has itself asked Israeli to get involved in the campaign.
In a separate report, Channel 12 says US President Donald Trump is expected to decide in the coming days whether to accept a reported proposal from mediators for a 10-day ceasefire, or to pursue a broader escalation against Iran.
No final decision has been made, according to the network.
The Times of Israel Community.