**Key Summary**
– Trump decides on military action after concluding diplomacy with Iran is blocked.
– Netanyahu asks, “How can we help?” Trump requests dismantling Iran’s air defenses.
– Following the U.S. airstrike, Trump thanks and congratulates Netanyahu; there are differences regarding further strikes.
A military collaboration with Israel was central to the U.S. airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities, known as the ‘Midnight Hammer’ operation.
On June 22 (local time), Axios reported that President Trump closely coordinated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu up until the U.S. carried out the airstrike. The media noted that this airstrike was not solely a U.S. decision but a result of extensive U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation over several months.
### Netanyahu: “How Can We Help?”… Trump: “Dismantle Iran’s Air Defense Systems”
Last week, the Trump administration made a final diplomatic attempt by pursuing a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, before resorting to military options. However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the meeting, fearing assassination threats, effectively cutting off diplomatic channels.
As a result, President Trump concluded on the 17th that there were no more diplomatic breakthroughs to be made and decided on a military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He immediately began discussions on the airstrike plan with Prime Minister Netanyahu, during which Israel’s role was concretely defined.
According to senior Israeli officials, when Netanyahu asked, “How can we help?” President Trump requested the preemptive dismantling of Iran’s southern air defense systems. The U.S. also provided Israel with a list of air defense targets to be eliminated.
Two days before the strike, on the 19th, the Israeli Air Force precisely targeted Iran’s southern air defense systems following this request. This action was to secure a safe route for U.S. bombers to enter nuclear facilities like Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
A senior Israeli official emphasized that they were responding to a request rather than dragging the U.S. into a war, noting that the U.S. held operational command.
Before the operation, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant maintained real-time communication with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to coordinate operational procedures and cooperation scope.
### After U.S. Begins Airstrikes: “Thanks and Congratulations to Netanyahu”… Difference in Opinion on Further Strikes
The airstrikes commenced on the night of the 21st local time, as U.S. Air Force units, including B-2 stealth bombers, breached Iranian southern airspace, targeting nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with fourteen GBU-57 ‘bunker busters’ and a total of 75 guided missiles.
Iran’s air defenses were disabled, and no fighter jets or surface-to-air missiles were launched. The operation concluded as planned, and the U.S. bombers returned safely.
Shortly after the strike, President Trump called Prime Minister Netanyahu to brief him on the operation’s outcome. In a subsequent public address, Trump expressed “thanks and congratulations to Prime Minister Netanyahu,” stating that “we worked together in a way no team has ever experienced.”
In this call, President Trump expressed that “the next step is negotiations, with peace as the goal,” indicating a preference for a diplomatic shift rather than prolonged military action. A U.S. government official also noted, “The President is not seeking additional strikes. If Iran does not retaliate, we hope the operation concludes with this.”
However, differences in perspective regarding continued airstrikes were apparent between Trump and Netanyahu. An Israeli senior official mentioned, “They (the U.S.) don’t mind if we continue the assault, but they want to conclude at this point.” He added, “How Iran reacts remains to be seen, and everything could change accordingly.”
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