Trump warns US will ‘destroy’ Iran’s nuclear capabilities if it rebuilds

The warning comes after Trump insisted that Tehran’s nuclear capabilities had been “completely wiped out” by US strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites in June. But Israeli officials have been quoted in local media expressing concern that Iran is replenishing its supply of long-range missiles capable of hitting Israel.

“Now I hear that Iran is trying to rebuild itself,” Trump told reporters shortly after Netanyahu arrived at his Mar-a-Lago estate. “And if they are, we’ll have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock them out of harm’s way. But I hope that doesn’t happen.”

Trump’s warning to Iran comes as his administration has devoted significant resources to combating drug trafficking in South America and as the president seeks to create new momentum for the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The Gaza deal risks getting bogged down before reaching its complicated second phase which would involve the appointment of an international governing body and the reconstruction of the devastated Palestinian territory.

Iran has insisted that it no longer enriching uranium on any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to possible negotiations on its atomic program. But Netanyahu was expected to discuss with Trump the need to take further military action against Tehran just months after launching a 12-day war against Iran.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s warning.

Trump again criticized Iran for failing to reach a deal to completely disarm its nuclear program before U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year.

“They would have liked to have made this deal,” Trump said.

Gaza ceasefire progress slows

Trump, with Netanyahu at his side, said he wanted to move to the second phase of the Gaza deal “as quickly as possible.”

“But we must disarm Hamas,” Trump added.

THE ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that Trump championed has mostly held, but progress has slowed recently. Both sides accuse each other of violationsand divisions emerged between the United States, Israel and Arab countries over the path forward.

The first phase of the truce began in October, days after the second anniversary of Hamas’s first attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people. All but one of the 251 hostages taken and then released, alive or dead.

The Israeli leader, who also met separately with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, indicated he was in no rush to move forward with the next phase as long as the remnants of Ran Gvili are still in Gaza.

Gvili’s parents met with Netanyahu as well as Rubio, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Florida on Monday. The Gvilis are expected to meet with Trump later today, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that advocates for the families of those kidnapped in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

“They’re waiting for their son to come home,” Trump said of the young policeman affectionately nicknamed “Rani”,

The next phase is complex

The road ahead is certainly complicated.

If successful, the second phase would see the reconstruction of a demilitarized Gaza Strip under the international supervision of a group chaired by Trump and known as the Peace Council. The Palestinians would form a “technocratic and apolitical” committee to manage daily affairs in Gaza, under the supervision of the Peace Council.

It further calls for normalized relations between Israel and the Arab world and a possible path to Palestinian independence. Then there are thorny logistical and humanitarian issues, including the reconstruction of war-ravaged Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the creation of a security apparatus called International Stabilization Force.

Many things remain unanswered

Two main challenges complicated the move to the second phase, according to an official briefed on these meetings. Israeli officials took a long time to review and approve members of the Palestinian technocratic committee from a list given to them by mediators, and Israel continues its military strikes.

Trump’s plan also calls for the stabilization force, proposed as a multinational body, to maintain security. But he too is not yet constituted. It’s unclear whether details will be released after Monday’s meeting.

A Western diplomat said there is a “huge gap” between the US-Israeli understanding of the force’s mandate and that of other major countries in the region, as well as that of European governments.

All spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public.

The United States and Israel want the force to play a “command role” in security tasks, including disarming Hamas and other militant groups. But countries asked to provide troops fear their mandate will turn them into an “occupying force,” the diplomat said.

Hamas has said it is ready to discuss “freezing or stockpiling” its weapons arsenal, but insists it has the right to armed resistance as long as Israel occupies Palestinian territory. A U.S. official said one potential plan could involve offering cash incentives in exchange for weapons, echoing a “buyback” program Witkoff previously launched.

Trump once again pleads for pardon of Netanyahu

The two leaders, who have enjoyed a long and close relationship, congratulated each other. Trump also criticized the Israeli leader, who at times during the war drew Trump’s ire, for being “very difficult at times.”

Trump too renewed his call on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to grant a pardon to Netanyahu, who is in the middle of a corruption trial.

Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to face trial, having been charged with fraud, breach of trust and acceptance of bribes in three separate cases, accusing him of trading favors with wealthy political supporters.

Trump has already written to Herzog requesting a pardon and argued for one during his October speech to the Knesset. He said Monday that Herzog told him “it’s on the way” without elaborating.

“He is a wartime Prime Minister who is a hero. How can we not grant a pardon?” » Trump said.

Herzog’s office said in a statement that the Israeli president and Trump have not spoken since the pardon request was submitted, but that Herzog spoke with a Trump representative about the US president’s letter seeking a pardon for Netanyahu.

“During this conversation, an explanation was provided regarding the stage of the process the request is currently at and that any decision on the matter will be made in accordance with established procedures,” the Israeli president’s office said. “This was conveyed to President Trump’s representative, exactly as President Herzog publicly stated in Israel.”