At the direction of President Trump, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Iranian air defense systems in the two days leading up to the United States’ assault on Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility, according to three officials from both the U.S. and Israel who spoke to Axios.
Trump’s groundbreaking decision to engage militarily alongside Israel against Iran was the product of long-standing collaboration between the two nations. Though the relationship had its challenges, the coordination around Iran’s nuclear threat intensified in the lead-up to the strike.
In the critical moments before the operation, Israel played a hands-on role in preparing the battlefield for the American military.
“I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump declared in a televised address on Saturday following the strike announcement.
“We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel.”
Trump’s directive to Netanyahu came in the past week, following his final determination to proceed with military action unless an unexpected diplomatic breakthrough presented itself.
“How can we help?” Netanyahu asked during their exchange, according to Israeli sources.
Trump’s response was a clear call to action: he requested that Israel’s air force disable as many air defense systems in southern Iran as possible to ensure safe passage for American B-2 bombers.
Following that request, the U.S. handed over a list of the specific targets it wanted Israel to neutralize before the strike, an Israeli official revealed to Axios.
Two days before the operation, Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz held a joint call with Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to finalize their operational coordination.
“They made it clear to us in that call that they were moving forward with the operation,” said an Israeli official involved in the discussion.
“In the 48 hours before the U.S. operation, the IDF conducted several strikes in the area to degrade Iranian defenses,” the official added.
Those Israeli airstrikes were concentrated in Iran’s south and specifically aimed at weakening Tehran’s air defense network, reducing the danger faced by incoming U.S. bombers carrying massive 30,000-pound bunker-buster munitions for use against the heavily fortified Fordow site.
“We didn’t push the U.S. into this conflict. We were cautious not to give the impression that we were steering them into war,” one Israeli official emphasized in comments to Axios.
“But luckily for us, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart — [Iran’s Supreme Leader] Khamenei acted like an idiot and refused any proposal from the U.S.,” the official continued.
After the American bombers completed their mission and began flying back to the U.S., Trump personally phoned Netanyahu to provide a briefing on the strike’s outcome, officials from both nations confirmed.
During the call, Trump made clear that with Iran’s nuclear infrastructure now eliminated, his administration’s objective is to negotiate a deal with Tehran and bring about a stable peace.
“The president doesn’t want to continue strikes on Iran,” a U.S. official said. “He’s ready to do it if the Iranians retaliate against U.S. forces, but he told Netanyahu that he wants peace.”
That sentiment was echoed by an Israeli official, who acknowledged receiving the message from Trump, but noted the uncertainty of what lies ahead. “We still don’t know how the Iranians are going to respond — and that could change everything.”
“But the Americans made it clear to us they want to close this round. They don’t mind if we continue our strikes, but when it comes to them, they’re done.”
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