Israeli opposition leader says Israel must continue Iran war even if US withdraws

Israeli opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman stated on Monday that Israel should keep fighting against Iran even if the United States pulls out. This comes after US President Donald Trump mentioned “constructive talks” with Tehran. Lieberman, who leads the Yisrael Beytenu party, emphasized at his party’s meeting that removing the current regime in Iran is crucial. He criticized the Israeli government for concentrating on local legislative matters while security threats remain. “While people in the north hear air raid sirens every few minutes, the Knesset is discussing the situation of the Israeli people and expanding the powers of rabbinical courts—this is complete madness,” he remarked. On the same day, Trump announced that he has delayed all military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. He cited “very good and productive” discussions with Iran over the previous two days. Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the United States and Iran have engaged in beneficial conversations aimed at resolving conflicts in the Middle East. He noted that based on the positive nature of these discussions, he has directed the Department of Defense to hold off on any military actions against Iranian facilities for five days. This pause depends on the success of the ongoing talks, he added. Since the US and Israel began their offensive against Iran on February 28, over 1,340 people have died, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.