Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, praised President Donald Trump for what he called decisive leadership in confronting the nuclear program of Iran during an interview on Newsmax.
Speaking with host Greta Van Susteren, Sa’ar said Trump acted firmly alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address what Israel sees as a growing nuclear threat in the region.
Sa’ar contrasted the current approach with how past administrations handled similar issues. He referenced former President Bill Clinton and his administration’s response to nuclear tensions involving North Korea in the 1990s, arguing that failing to act decisively at the time allowed Pyongyang to eventually obtain nuclear weapons.
According to Sa’ar, intelligence suggested Iran was preparing to relocate critical elements of its nuclear program to deep underground facilities that would be far more difficult to destroy through airstrikes.
“That moment would put them in de facto immunity from airstrikes,” Sa’ar said, explaining why Israeli and U.S. leaders believed action had to be taken before that transition was completed.
Sa’ar said Israel and the United States concluded that delaying military action would allow Iran to strengthen its position and potentially develop nuclear weapons under a protective “nuclear umbrella.”
He also said diplomatic efforts had been attempted before the conflict escalated. Sa’ar noted that U.S. outreach — including efforts by American envoy Steve Witkoff — failed because Iran refused to negotiate on key issues such as its nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and support for militant groups.
Sa’ar said Iran has long backed armed organizations across the region, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, which Israel accuses of destabilizing the Middle East and targeting its allies.
He added that Israel has had no direct diplomatic contact with Iran for roughly two decades due to Tehran’s long-standing hostility toward the Israeli state.
Sa’ar also dismissed speculation that Israel might seek territorial expansion inside Iran, calling the idea unrealistic because the two countries do not share a border and are separated by several other nations.
“Iran is about 1,500 kilometers from us,” he said. “Anyone saying that has never looked at the map.”
Sa’ar concluded that leaders in Washington and Jerusalem determined that acting now was less dangerous than allowing Iran’s nuclear capabilities to grow unchecked.
