Netanyahu Warns Trump: Iran’s Missiles Are Back—U.S. Must Act

Paul Riverbank, 12/21/2025Netanyahu warns Trump: Iran's missile build-up, Gaza tensions, and diplomacy shape a fraught summit.

But, as it often goes in Middle Eastern politics, shadows linger. Israeli officials, despite America’s recent boasts, see worrying signs out of Tehran. Satellite snapshots and clandestine reports, I’m told, suggest Iran is patching up missile bases and tuning up air defenses, quietly but efficiently. A senior Israeli defense planner admitted, “We’re not talking about an immediate breakthrough, but the pace—they are moving quickly.”

And the numbers, if to be believed, are troubling. Some in Israel’s security establishment argue that, unchecked, Iran could churn out up to 3,000 ballistic missiles each month. For context’s sake, that’s a scale that few in the region—or beyond—could ignore. As one former military advisor quietly put it, “We managed to intercept quite a few last time, but the gaps—they worry us.”

Netanyahu has reportedly dusted off an old playbook before flying out. When he last sat across from Trump, he came with a menu of four options: go at it alone, ask for a bit of American backup, push for joint operations, or, the big one, see if the U.S. will take point entirely. The options are unchanged; what’s shifted is the urgency with which the Israeli leadership views the Iranian threat.

Meanwhile, Trump appears to savor his past show of force but leaves room for ambiguity. In a recent statement, he wagged a finger at Tehran, warning not to toy with the idea of a missile or nuclear comeback—yet, with an air of characteristic bravado, added, “We can knock out their missiles very quickly, we have great power.” Despite the iron fist rhetoric, a window for diplomacy remains cracked open.

The Mar-a-Lago summit comes against a complicated backdrop—namely, the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. A ceasefire, however tentative, has forced policymakers in Jerusalem to balance calls for potential preemptive strikes with the hard realities of negotiations in Gaza. Among the sticking points: phased Israeli withdrawal, international peacekeepers, and a fine line between firmness and escalation. The Gaza issue is more than a sidebar; it’s liable to color every avenue of U.S.-Israeli cooperation in the weeks ahead.

Outside the White House corridors, Netanyahu’s visit has stirred passions stateside as well. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, with classic New York bravura, rolled out the welcome mat, eager to showcase what she calls the “enduring bond” linking her city and Israel. Yet, those plans hit a wall. Incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani—never one to mince words—vowed on the campaign trail to handcuff Netanyahu, citing an International Criminal Court warrant not recognized by Washington. The spat, predictably, went public. Netanyahu sent a polite letter to Vernikov, declining her invite for now but promising a future visit. Vernikov, in turn, lambasted Mamdani’s “clickbait” posturing, calling his arrest promise both unenforceable and unserious.

On Capitol Hill, pro-Israel voices like Congresswoman Elise Stefanik rallied, each eager to plant their flag. Stefanik tagged New York’s governor for silence, even as she fast-tracked bills ensuring no foreign leader—friend or foe—would face surprise legal entanglements on American soil.

The reality is this trip, ostensibly about Iran, vaults Netanyahu back into the trans-Atlantic limelight at a moment when alliances are delicate and nerves raw. With proxy groups on the move, nuclear puzzles to solve, and high-wattage political drama unfolding both domestically and abroad, neither Netanyahu nor Trump can afford a misstep. Whether these conversations yield new resolve or simply buy time, what’s indisputable is the region’s volatility—and the ever-present risk of a miscalculation, just as the world watches with bated breath.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself once again America-bound, this time with a dossier of sobering intelligence and an appointment at Mar-a-Lago inked for late December. His counterpart: the famously unpredictable Donald Trump. Their shared concern? Iran, whose nuclear ambitions remain a shadow over the region even after what Trump hails as the “total obliteration” of Iranian sites during Operation Midnight Hammer.But, as it often goes in Middle Eastern politics, shadows linger. Israeli officials, despite America’s recent boasts, see worrying signs out of Tehran. Satellite snapshots and clandestine reports, I’m told, suggest Iran is patching up missile bases and tuning up air defenses, quietly but efficiently. A senior Israeli defense planner admitted, “We’re not talking about an immediate breakthrough, but the pace—they are moving quickly.”And the numbers, if to be believed, are troubling. Some in Israel’s security establishment argue that, unchecked, Iran could churn out up to 3,000 ballistic missiles each month. For context’s sake, that’s a scale that few in the region—or beyond—could ignore. As one former military advisor quietly put it, “We managed to intercept quite a few last time, but the gaps—they worry us.”Netanyahu has reportedly dusted off an old playbook before flying out. When he last sat across from Trump, he came with a menu of four options: go at it alone, ask for a bit of American backup, push for joint operations, or, the big one, see if the U.S. will take point entirely. The options are unchanged; what’s shifted is the urgency with which the Israeli leadership views the Iranian threat.Meanwhile, Trump appears to savor his past show of force but leaves room for ambiguity. In a recent statement, he wagged a finger at Tehran, warning not to toy with the idea of a missile or nuclear comeback—yet, with an air of characteristic bravado, added, “We can knock out their missiles very quickly, we have great power.” Despite the iron fist rhetoric, a window for diplomacy remains cracked open.The Mar-a-Lago summit comes against a complicated backdrop—namely, the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. A ceasefire, however tentative, has forced policymakers in Jerusalem to balance calls for potential preemptive strikes with the hard realities of negotiations in Gaza. Among the sticking points: phased Israeli withdrawal, international peacekeepers, and a fine line between firmness and escalation. The Gaza issue is more than a sidebar; it’s liable to color every avenue of U.S.-Israeli cooperation in the weeks ahead.Outside the White House corridors, Netanyahu’s visit has stirred passions stateside as well. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, with classic New York bravura, rolled out the welcome mat, eager to showcase what she calls the “enduring bond” linking her city and Israel. Yet, those plans hit a wall. Incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani—never one to mince words—vowed on the campaign trail to handcuff Netanyahu, citing an International Criminal Court warrant not recognized by Washington. The spat, predictably, went public. Netanyahu sent a polite letter to Vernikov, declining her invite for now but promising a future visit. Vernikov, in turn, lambasted Mamdani’s “clickbait” posturing, calling his arrest promise both unenforceable and unserious.On Capitol Hill, pro-Israel voices like Congresswoman Elise Stefanik rallied, each eager to plant their flag. Stefanik tagged New York’s governor for silence, even as she fast-tracked bills ensuring no foreign leader—friend or foe—would face surprise legal entanglements on American soil.The reality is this trip, ostensibly about Iran, vaults Netanyahu back into the trans-Atlantic limelight at a moment when alliances are delicate and nerves raw. With proxy groups on the move, nuclear puzzles to solve, and high-wattage political drama unfolding both domestically and abroad, neither Netanyahu nor Trump can afford a misstep. Whether these conversations yield new resolve or simply buy time, what’s indisputable is the region’s volatility—and the ever-present risk of a miscalculation, just as the world watches with bated breath.