The Netanyahu Gambit: Dragging the World to War to Evade Prison—and Taking Trump With Him

by Amal Zadok

June 15, 2025 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unprecedented bombardment of Iran—dubbed “Operation Rising Lion”—represents less a strategic masterstroke than a desperate bid for personal and political survival.

Facing imminent jail time for corruption charges and reliant on far-right allies demanding maximalist warfare, Netanyahu has ignited a regional inferno that risks global catastrophe. With former U.S. President Donald Trump entangled as both enabler and hostage to this escalation, the world confronts a crisis engineered by one leader’s fight to evade accountability.

1. The Legal Noose Tightens: Corruption Charges as Existential Threat

Netanyahu confronts three criminal indictments for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, carrying potential 10-year prison sentences. His trial, paused during the Gaza war, resumed in late 2023 but faced immediate delays as Netanyahu cited “changing security circumstances for the country’s very future” to reduce court appearances .

When Israel broke its Gaza ceasefire in March 2025—reigniting hostilities—judicial proceedings halted again. Legal experts note this could extend testimony until 2026, buying critical time .

Survival Mechanism:

Netanyahu perceives the legal system as a “deep state witch hunt.” His preemptive strikes against Iran—timed just before a pivotal June 15 U.S.-Iran nuclear talk in Oman—created an artificial “security emergency,” rendering trials untenable amid wartime leadership demands .

2. The Far-Right Lifeline: Coalition Ultimatums Drive Escalation

Netanyahu’s governing coalition hinges on extremists Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who demand:

Permanent occupation of Gaza and Israeli resettlement .

– Total war against Iran to dismantle its nuclear program .

When Trump pressured Netanyahu to accept a Gaza ceasefire in early 2025, Ben-Gvir threatened to collapse the government. Netanyahu chose war to preserve power . Similarly, Iran strikes aligned with Smotrich’s vow that Israel would “return to war” to reshape the region.

3. Iran as Diversion: Sabotaging Diplomacy, Inviting Disaster

Netanyahu’s assault began on June 12–13, 2025, targeting nuclear facilities at Natanz and Esfahan, killing IRGC commanders and scientists, and later striking the South Pars gas field—the world’s largest . This timing sabotaged U.S.-Iran talks set for June 15 in Oman, which Iran canceled citing “barbarous attacks” .

Geopolitical Blowback:

– Pakistan threatened nuclear retaliation if Israel uses atomic weapons first .

– Global energy markets panicked: Brent crude spiked 9%, with analysts warning of $150+/barrel oil if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz (20% of global supply) .

– UN Security Council emergency sessions exposed fractures: Russia accused Israel of pushing the region to “nuclear catastrophe,” while China condemned “violation of sovereignty” .

4. Trump’s Complicity: From Restrainer to Hostage

Trump initially urged Netanyahu to avoid striking Iran during nuclear talks . Yet after the attacks, Trump endorsed them as “very successful” and warned Iran: “Make a deal or face worse” .

This reversal reveals Trump’s trapped position:

– Domestic pressure: Pro-Israel voters demand unwavering support.

– Strategic incoherence: Trump seeks Iran diplomacy but greenlit Netanyahu’s escalation, forfeiting U.S. leverage. As one Atlantic Council analyst noted: “Netanyahu is misaligning Trump on Gaza and Iran… risking a rupture” .

Worse, Netanyahu defied U.S. red lines by attacking Iranian energy infrastructure (South Pars), risking a global oil crisis Trump desperately seeks to avoid .

5. Human Costs: Sacrificing

Civilians for Political Oxygen

– In Iran: 78+ killed in initial Israeli strikes, including 29 children in a flattened Tehran apartment block .

– In Israel: 9 dead from Iranian retaliatory strikes, including a 10-year-old boy in Rishon LeZion .

– In Gaza: 55,000+ Palestinians killed since October 2023—a genocide Netanyahu prolongs to rally ultra-nationalist support .

Netanyahu weaponizes theology to justify carnage, comparing Hamas to “Amalek”—a biblical nation scripture commands to annihilate “including children and infants” .

6. The Endgame: War as the Only Exit

Netanyahu’s coalition faces collapse from multiple threats:

– Ultra-Orthodox revolt over Supreme Court-ordered military conscription .

– ICC arrest warrants for war crimes in Gaza .

– Trump’s eroding patience as oil spikes and regional bases face Iranian retaliation .

Conclusion: A World Held Hostage

Netanyahu’s fusion of legal desperation, extremist alliances, and militaristic zeal has transformed Israel-Iran tensions into a global tinderbox.

With Pakistan nuclear-ready, Russia and China exploiting the crisis to undermine U.S. influence, and Trump’s diplomacy in tatters, the prime minister’s bid to evade prison risks burning the Middle East—and the world. As former aide Mitchell Barak conceded: “I can’t see any more magic tricks available to him” . The tragic irony? Netanyahu’s “magic” now requires perpetual war—a conflagration that could consume us all.

©️2025 Amal Zadok. All rights reserved