There is no way to ever know what the strategic plans of the Trump and Netanyahu administrations really are. But there are some signs that seem to be pointing to a direction that there’s a lot of pressure on the Trump administration, at least, to declare victory and end the war with Iran. A pressure for the U.S. to stop the war effort, even though the reality is that there’s still so much that needs to be done to achieve the mission’s original goals.
The Wall St. Journal is reporting today that there are concerns among officials at the White House that Israel wants the war with Iran to continue even after the U.S. expresses its desire to end the strikes. The Journal is additionally saying that the U.S. has warned Israel not to attack additional energy facilities in Iran unless it receives approval from Washington. Israel, for its part, is attempting to apply economic pressure in order to encourage Iranians to create regime change, and is expected to continue to go after energy and oil facilities in Iran.
The New York Times is reporting that Iran’s military is adapting its tactics to counter U.S. and Israeli operations as the war progresses, including now not only targeting American bases in other Gulf nations, but attacking the hotels that house U.S. military overseas. And Reuters announced today that 150 American soldiers have been injured in this war. It did not provide specifics or a source for that statistic, but it reported it nonetheless.
Whether any of this is accurate or not, the fact that these major news outlets are starting to report negatively about the United States says volumes. Either things are getting more challenging for the U.S. in this war, these mainstream outlets are attempting to influence public opinion to get the U.S. out of the war, or both. Whether news influences opinion or opinions influence the news, it is not good for the U.S.-Israel relationship for this kind of media to be promoted so heavily.
Another shift in attitude was seen on Tuesday as Steve Witkoff, who has been silent for days since the war started, is suddenly back in the news. He gave an interview with CNBC in which he said “we have almost completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear enrichment capability” and that he will “probably go to Israel next week to coordinate war plans.” But Witkoff has never been involved in “war plans” previously, and in reality has only gotten involved with the antithesis of war plans: he has been the guy who keeps trying to negotiate deals that allow Iran and its proxies to continue in their reign of terror. The fact that he has raised his head and is giving an interview, let alone is now saying that he will be involved in more plans with Israel, is very disconcerting to anyone who desires that this war go to completion, a completion defined by Iran and its proxies being eliminated and losing any capability of dangerous weapons for the foreseeable future.
Iran has threatened to mine the Strait of Hormuz, and President Trump has used aggressive rhetoric in response, making threats to Iran that if they lay mines, there would be “military consequences for Iran that will be at a level not seen before”. Iran did lay some mines on Tuesday, and the U.S. has claimed to have sunk 16 boats that did the mine laying.
Israel continues to use the skies for most of its offensive attacks against Iran. The nation is also getting prepared in case there is a simultaneous attack from Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, God forbid. But Israel has also successfully worked to get non-Israeli visitors out of the nation through different methods. Two friends involved in our community both returned in the last 24 hours from being stuck in Israel, and we are grateful that they, and so many other Americans, are getting safely back to their homes here in California.
The external symptoms seem to demonstrate that there are mixed feelings coming out of Washington about how long and what kind of support the United States should be providing against Iran. The antisemitic hate in this country, fueled by so many social influencers, is applying a lot of pressure on our government to step away from supporting Israel and allow Iran’s authoritarian regime of the last 47 years to continue. The anti-Israel lobbies are paying for demonstrations around the country to protest U.S. involvement in the region. Right here in our area of Southern California, an overpass on the Ventura Freeway in Woodland Hills has been taken over by anti-Israel demonstrators, who illegally leave their very expensive and professionally made signs on the overpass 24/7.
We need to always remember that the Jew-haters are tireless, and so we must be diligent too. If you see someone posting signs illegally defaming Israel, call the police to have them removed. If you hear someone spouting fallacious anti-Israel rhetoric in a conversation, correct them with facts and truths. Educate everyone that you can about the real political history of Israel, our place there as the indigenous people of that land, and the dangers of the Iranian regime not only to Israel, but to America and the entire world.
May we all have the courage to counter Jew hating propaganda with truth, and may our courage be rewarded with the success of people waking up, letting go of their hatred for Jews and Israel, and learning mutual respect for each other, ultimately creating peace.
For we are told to “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34), and this is something each of us can always do. Sometimes we must pursue peace through the actions of war against tyrants, and sometimes we can pursue it through educating ourselves and others. But we all need to remember, act, and constantly pray for the ultimate and long-term goal: peace.
Chazak u’Baruch
Rabbi Michael Barclay
March 11, 2026
22nd of Adar, 5786
Enjoying PJ Media?
Get exclusive content and support independent journalism with 60% off a PJ Media VIP membership. Use promo code FIGHT and join today.
