PALM BEACH, Florida: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned that Washington could back another major military strike on Iran if Tehran resumes rebuilding its nuclear or ballistic missile programs, while also issuing a stark ultimatum to Hamas to disarm or face severe consequences.
Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after talks at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, the U.S. president said intelligence indicated Iran may be attempting to restore weapons capabilities at undisclosed locations following the large-scale U.S. strike carried out in June.
“We know exactly where they’re going and what they’re doing,” Trump told reporters, adding that the United States would not hesitate to act again if necessary. He remarked pointedly that another long-range B-2 bomber mission would only be undertaken if Iran persisted, underscoring Washington’s readiness to re-engage militarily.
Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu also focused heavily on the fragile Gaza ceasefire brokered by Washington and the next phase of negotiations, which would involve expanded Israeli withdrawal, international peacekeeping forces, and the eventual disarmament of Hamas.
The U.S. president placed responsibility squarely on Hamas for delays in moving forward, accusing the group of violating the spirit of the ceasefire by refusing to relinquish its weapons while reasserting control in parts of Gaza still under Israeli military presence.
“There will be hell to pay,” Trump warned when asked about the consequences if Hamas continued to resist disarmament, reiterating a message he has delivered repeatedly during the conflict.
Israel has made clear that if Hamas does not disarm through negotiations, military operations could resume. Netanyahu, while emphasizing that Israel is not actively seeking confrontation with Iran, said Israel remains deeply concerned about adversaries rebuilding military capabilities after being weakened in recent conflicts.
The talks also touched on Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey’s potential role in any international security arrangement for Gaza. Trump said discussions included the possibility of Turkish peacekeepers, a sensitive proposal given strained Israeli-Turkish relations despite Trump’s close ties with Ankara.
Although large-scale fighting in Gaza has subsided since the ceasefire took effect in October, sporadic violence continues. Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of Palestinians since then, according to Gaza health officials, while Palestinian militants have killed Israeli soldiers in isolated incidents.
Trump’s remarks reinforced his alignment with Netanyahu on regional security, even as questions persist within Washington over the durability of the Gaza ceasefire and the risks of renewed escalation with Iran.
-Aidan H Goller
READ FULL E-MAGAZINE – WORLDAFFAIRS – A COMPLETE VIEW ON GEOPOLITICS, WORLD ECONOMY & GLOBAL POLICY
