Trump says Netanyahu will follow his lead as US warns Iran of fresh strikes

US President Donald Trump has claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will “do whatever I want him to do”, signaling close US-Israel alignment as efforts to end the Iran war remain deadlocked.

Speaking to reporters at an airbase in Maryland after what Israeli media described as a “lengthy and dramatic” phone call with Netanyahu, Trump said the two leaders were on the same page over the next steps in the conflict.

“He’s fine, he’ll do whatever I want him to do,” Trump said, adding, “He’s a very, very good man.”

The remarks came as Trump warned of “another big hit” if diplomacy with Iran fails, while insisting he is in “no hurry” to end the war. He said Washington was prepared for further military action but could wait “a few days” to “get the right answers” from Tehran.

“Believe me, if we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” Trump said, adding that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained a US priority.

Iran, however, struck a defiant tone. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not surrender if US attacks resumed, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any renewed aggression would push the conflict “beyond the region”.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has begun public weapons training sessions in Tehran, with civilians being taught to handle assault rifles amid escalating war fears. Participants completing the drills were reportedly given “Janfada” cards, a title used for those willing to sacrifice their lives.

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi criticized the displays, particularly footage showing children handling weapons, comparing them to tactics used by extremist groups.

In a further sign of rising tensions, Iran’s newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority released a map claiming control over a maritime zone in the Strait of Hormuz, saying vessels passing through would require Iranian authorization.

Despite backchannel diplomacy, including mediation efforts by Pakistan, there has been little visible progress toward a ceasefire, leaving the region on edge over the prospect of another military escalation.