Trump Says “I Might Have Forced Israel’s Hand” in Strikes on Iran

President Trump pushed back on claims that Israel dragged the United States into war with Iran, telling reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday that he believed Tehran was preparing to strike first. When asked directly by ABC's Rachel Scott whether Netanyahu pulled America into the conflict, Trump flipped the narrative, saying he may have been the one who pushed Israel to act. He cited the stalled nuclear negotiations in Geneva as the turning point, saying he gave the green light for strikes on Friday hours after the latest round of talks ended. Trump's account contradicts what senior administration officials told lawmakers in a classified briefing on Monday — that Israel's plan to attack Iran with or without US support effectively forced Washington's hand to protect American troops in the region. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the US joined the strikes to preempt expected Iranian retaliation against US bases. Sen. Mark Warner called the operation a "war of choice" dictated by Israel's goals and timeline. Meanwhile, the US military confirmed it has struck over 1,700 targets in Iran, with six American service members killed so far and Trump refusing to rule out ground troops.