From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Report: Trump finalized Iran attack plan last Wednesday, with Vance fully on board
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
US President Donald Trump decided last Wednesday to launch this morning’s strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Channel 12 reports, without naming sources.
Only a handful of senior Israeli officials were informed of the decision, according to the Hebrew network.
Despite reports that US Vice President JD Vance had reservations against attacking, Channel 12 says he ultimately fully backed the move.
The decision reportedly followed intense lobbying by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who urged Trump “to take part in history.”
As part of the arrangement, the US insisted on overseeing the diplomatic and media messaging surrounding the operation.
Those briefed on the plan included Netanyahu, Dermer, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz, according to the unsourced report. The other members of the security cabinet were not informed, the network reports.
Yesterday, ahead of the strike, Netanyahu delayed a planned afternoon cabinet meeting to the late evening, in an effort to avoid drawing attention by convening a rare Sabbath-day session. During the evening meeting, he informed ministers of the imminent attack.
They reportedly watched the strike live from the control center.
“We saw history being written live before our eyes,” unnamed sources present in the room told Channel 12.
The Times of Israel Community.