WASHINGTON: Ten days after attacking Iran together, the United States and Israel have seen a public divergence, with President Donald Trump facing political pressure and not sharing Israel's long-term goals. Even Senator Lindsey Graham, a hawkish Republican ally of Trump who has urged war on Iran for years, called on Israel to "please be cautious about what targets you select." He said that Israel wants Iran, whose cleric-run government has championed Hamas, to be "permanently weakened" -- a strategy Israel has pursued across the region, notably in repeatedly bombing historic adversary Syria despite a change in government. Both Netanyahu and Trump have spoken favourably of the Iranians overthrowing the Islamic Republic, which faces widespread opposition and ruthlessly suppressed protests in January, but neither has made it an explicit goal. Growing partisan gapIsrael retains strong support within Trump's Republican Party but the rival Democratic Party -- and a few prominent voices on the right -- have accused Trump of blindly following Israel into a regional war.

Source: The Star March 10, 2026 15:45 UTC