On Thursday night, Donald Trump did what he has done repeatedly during the 65 days of his two-week ceasefire with Iran that began on April 8: The US president issued new and bombastic threats against the Islamic Republic, only to call off the ostensible attack in the wake of an impending breakthrough in talks.

Trump insisted that the “final points” of an agreement — which were discussed in “great details” — were approved by a range of US allies, including Israel, and that a signing ceremony could take place over the weekend in Europe.

He did not reveal the details of the alleged Memorandum of Understanding, but according to Axios, it would extend the ceasefire for another two months, during which time the Strait of Hormuz would be fully reopened and a US blockade gradually lifted. Talks would take place on Iran’s nuclear program, but no action would be taken until a second deal is reached.

Worryingly for Israel, the ceasefire would reportedly also include Lebanon, tying the IDF’s hands in its fight against a resurgent Hezbollah, Iran’s most important ally.

Netanyahu at first tried an optimistic approach after speaking with Trump.

“Although Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding,” Netanyahu’s office said Thursday night, “the prime minister expressed his appreciation for President Trump’s commitment that the final agreement reached at the conclusion of the negotiations will include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limitations on missile production, and the cessation of Iran’s support for its terrorist proxies in the region.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz also said on Friday that Israel expects Trump to “uphold… principles concerning missiles and terrorist proxies.”

That is wishful thinking.

Though initially the White House said an explicit goal of the war was to “obliterate Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and production capacity,” and to “sever its support for terrorist proxies,” Trump has all but dropped those demands, seeming to accept Iran’s position that clinching a nuclear deal means giving up on limits on missiles or backing for terror groups.

On the rare occasions the US leader does talk about ballistic missiles or support for proxies, he downplays them. “Look, missiles are bad, but yeah, and they do........

© The Times of Israel