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Israel, Arab allies urge Trump to delay any strike on Iran: Report

January 16, 2026 at 2:26 pm

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) have a lunch at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, United States on December 29, 2025. [Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)/Handout – Anadolu Agency]

 Israel and several Arab partners have urged US President Donald Trump to hold off on any military strike against Iran, warning that an attack could trigger a wider regional conflict, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing senior US and regional officials, Anadolu Agency reports.

According to the report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Trump during a Wednesday phone call to postpone any planned action, as Iran continues to face nationwide protests.

The same day, Trump said he had received information from “very important sources on the other side” indicating that Iranian authorities had paused executions and stopped killing prosecutors, though US officials cautioned that military options remain under review.

Netanyahu also spoke earlier this week with US Vice President JD Vance, while Trump aids met at the White House to assess potential strikes.

Arab nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Egypt, have also pressed Washington to avoid an attack, while simultaneously warning Tehran against retaliating if the US acts.

“We believe in dialogue, and we believe in resolving any disagreements at the negotiating table,” said Saudi Minister of State Adel al-Jubeir.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, has used the pause to move additional forces and air defense systems into the region, even as US officials said tensions around key bases, including Al Udeid in Qatar, have slightly eased.

READ: Israel seeks to drag US ‘into fighting wars on its behalf,’ Iran’s foreign minister says