A Fickle President: Why Trump Is 'Laying Low' Toward Iran? | With Ron Ben-Yishai

Trump canceled a planned strike on Iran, and the Americans are briefing about a 'pause.' Commentator Ron Ben-Yishai explains that the US has realized it won't achieve a nuclear deal preventing Iran from becoming a threshold nuclear state, and that Iran uses the Strait of Hormuz as leverage to threaten the global economy. He assesses that Trump is waiting for the midterm elections, and notes American restrictions on the IDF in Gaza and Lebanon.

At the beginning of the month, Trump announced the cancellation of the planned strike on Iran, which has for now stopped attacking its Gulf neighbors. The American military is briefing about a 'pause.' Security commentator Ron Ben-Yishai explains that the understanding is sinking in Washington that they won't achieve a nuclear deal preventing Iran from getting close to the bomb, and that as long as Iran can hold the Gulf states hostage and threaten their oil facilities, it cannot be moved. He notes that the Iranians have realized that the Strait of Hormuz is a lever to threaten the global economy. Ben-Yishai says the Iranian regime is extreme, and the US cannot risk its survival because hitting infrastructure would harm the population and worsen the global energy situation. Trump doesn't want this on the eve of the midterm elections, so he is stopping trying to bring Iran to the negotiating table. Ben-Yishai assesses that Trump is waiting for the midterm elections and then will recalculate. He describes Trump as impulsive, and notes that in Gaza, Israel is cooperating with the Peace Council and the American command in preparing infrastructure for the peace plan, but is not accepting the 15-point plan that gives Hamas a chance to rehabilitate. The original plan (20 points) requires disarming Hamas before withdrawal. In Lebanon too, the Americans are restricting Israel, but only beyond the yellow line.