AMMAN — US President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, coupled with renewed US warnings to Iran, has heightened concerns over the risk of further escalation as Washington maintains pressure on Tehran.

 

Trump on Sunday voiced full support for Netanyahu, praising his leadership and partnership with Washington in confronting Iran, nine days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections.

 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Netanyahu as a “great wartime Prime Minister” and a partner for peace, crediting him with confronting Iran. He said Tehran’s military and financial capabilities had been systematically weakened and warned that the United States could be forced to deal with Iran without Israel’s support if Netanyahu lost the election.

 

In a telephone interview with Axios on Sunday, Trump said he had intended to endorse Netanyahu from the outset but had waited before making his position public.

 

The endorsement came as Washington maintained pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme and regional activities. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that Iran faced a choice between abandoning its nuclear ambitions through negotiations and confronting further US military action.

 

Speaking to students enrolled in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programmes and military recruits at the University of Tennessee, Hegseth said the United States could inflict devastating damage swiftly if necessary.

 

He accused Iran of building a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action while pursuing its nuclear ambitions. He also accused Tehran of funding Hizbollah and Yemen’s Houthis, saying Washington had sought to deter attacks against US forces and shipping.

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said previous US efforts to end the war had left Iran stronger.

 

Araghchi warned Netanyahu was "driving America into another war".

 

"Last time you wanted to 'finish the job', Iran emerged even stronger. Want to try your luck again? Be our guest. But be careful; we have unfinished jobs too," Araghchi wrote on X.

 

Political analyst Amer Sabaileh dismissed Tehran’s claims of strength as propaganda, arguing that Araghchi’s statements did not demonstrate that Iran had emerged stronger from the conflict.

 

Sabaileh said Trump’s endorsement of Netanyahu reflected a convergence of US and Israeli positions on Iran, with both aligned in their approach to the confrontation. He said this alignment pointed to a heightened risk of further escalation.

 

The latest statements underscore the growing confrontation over Iran, as Washington combines pressure over Tehran’s nuclear programme with warnings of military action, while reaffirming its strategic partnership with Israel.