Israel’s strikes on Iran show Trump is unable to restrain Netanyahu as Middle East slips closer to chaos

As Israeli jets struck targets in Iran on Friday morning, the US moved quickly to distance itself from Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to target Tehran in an escalation that threatens an all-out war in the Middle East.

The unilateral strikes indicated a collapse of Donald Trump’s efforts to restrain the Israeli prime minister and almost certainly scuttled Trump’s efforts to negotiate a deal with Iran that would prevent the country from seeking a nuclear weapon.