How Trump Brought Netanyahu to Heel

It seemed as if Israel was willing and capable of acting as it chose. The only one who could stop it was U.S. President Donald Trump, and that is what he has done. But rather than simply calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the carpet, Trump has been weaving a web of diplomatic arrangements and military presences to enforce them that leave little room for Israel to maneuver militarily.

For a few months in 2024 and 2025, it looked like Israel had become a regional superpower, dispatching troops and fighter jets against enemies who were no match for its strength. It started with the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon in November 2024, followed the next month by the bombing of Syrian military assets and the occupation of a handful of strategic sites after the collapse of the Assad regime. In March 2025, Israel broke its cease-fire with Hamas to restart the war in Gaza, and in June, it overwhelmed Iranian air defenses and, with U.S. help, destroyed much of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. Finally, in September, Israeli fighter jets bombed a compound hosting Hamas leaders in Qatar.

For a few months in 2024 and 2025, it looked like Israel had become a regional superpower, dispatching troops and fighter jets against enemies who were no match for its strength. It started with the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon in November 2024, followed the next month by the bombing of Syrian military assets and the occupation of a handful of strategic sites after the collapse of the Assad regime.