The Israel factor: How U.S.-Iran talks ended in conflict, twice

U.S.-Iran talks have turned into a full-on conflict for the second time. On February 28, Israel launched a "preemptive strike" on major cities and military installations across Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump, following Israel's initial strike, released a statement on Truth Social saying the U.S. military also took part in this "major combat operation."

"We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground, we are going to annihilate their navy," Trump said in the statement. "We will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It's a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cemented the goal of regime change in Iran during a public statement released shortly after Trump's, describing the operation as aimed at removing "an existential threat from Iran regime".

The way peace talks collapsed into a full-on conflict, with Israel launching the first strike, resembles the 12-day tit-for-tat war back in June 2025, crippling three Iranian nuclear facilities. The strike, coded "Operation Midnight Hammer", was initiated by Israeli forces on June 22, which was later joined by the U.S. military, following five rounds of fruitless talks between the U.S. and Iran. 

Israel, being the "model U.S. ally" according to the Trump administration, has consistently been a significant factor in steering the direction of U.S. diplomacy. 

How did diplomacy fail again between the U.S. and Iran? What is Israel hoping to achieve amid the U.S.-Iran tension? Click here for more.