Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a firm and cautious message upon returning to Israel following high-level meetings in Washington with President Donald Trump, emphasizing that any potential agreement with Iran must go far beyond the nuclear file. Speaking to reporters on the tarmac at Ben Gurion Airport, Netanyahu made clear that while discussions are ongoing, Israel remains deeply skeptical of a limited deal that fails to address the full scope of Tehran’s military capabilities and regional aggression.

“I won’t hide that I am very skeptical about making a deal,” Netanyahu stated, underscoring longstanding Israeli concerns about past agreements that focused narrowly on uranium enrichment while leaving intact Iran’s ballistic missile program and its network of terror proxies. He stressed that if negotiations are to produce an outcome, the framework must include strict and enforceable limits on missiles and the activities of groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, which Israel views as direct and immediate security threats.

The remarks follow several days of meetings between Netanyahu and President Trump from February 10 to 12, where Iran, Gaza, and broader regional stability dominated the agenda. President Trump expressed optimism that sustained U.S. pressure could create conditions for a stronger deal, signaling that diplomatic channels remain open. Netanyahu, while highlighting the “unprecedented” strength of the U.S.–Israel alliance, made clear that Israel will not support an agreement that allows Iran to retain pathways to military expansion through proxy warfare or long-range missile development.

For Israel, the issue extends beyond nuclear timelines to the broader architecture of Iranian power projection across the Middle East. Ballistic missiles provide Tehran with delivery systems capable of reaching Israeli territory, while its proxy militias operate on multiple fronts, from Lebanon to Gaza. Netanyahu’s position reflects a strategic doctrine that any durable agreement must dismantle not only the nuclear threat but also the conventional and irregular capabilities that enable Iran to encircle Israel and destabilize allied governments.

The public tone of the statement also signals coordinated but distinct approaches between Washington and Jerusalem. While the Trump administration continues to explore diplomatic leverage, Israel is reinforcing its red lines in advance, ensuring that its security requirements remain central to any negotiation framework. Netanyahu’s emphasis on comprehensive restrictions serves both as a negotiating posture and a message to regional actors that Israel will not accept partial measures that leave core threats intact.

The meeting highlighted the depth of the current U.S.–Israel partnership, with both leaders aligning on the need to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while acknowledging tactical differences on how to achieve that objective. Netanyahu’s skepticism does not signal a break with Washington but rather an effort to shape the contours of a potential deal toward broader and more enforceable limits.

As discussions continue, the central question will be whether diplomatic efforts can reconcile Washington’s pursuit of a negotiated outcome with Israel’s demand for a sweeping framework that addresses nuclear capabilities, missile development, and proxy militias simultaneously. Netanyahu’s remarks make clear that from Israel’s perspective, anything less would fail to eliminate the underlying threat and would risk repeating the shortcomings of previous agreements.