US President Donald Trump has said he trusts Israel would never use nuclear weapons in its war on Iran, brushing aside warnings from one of his own advisers that the conflict could escalate dramatically if it drags on.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump rejected speculation raised by adviser David Sacks, who suggested Israel might contemplate a nuclear option if the war continued for weeks or months.
“Israel wouldn’t do that. Israel would never do that,” Trump told reporters.
Sacks — a venture capitalist serving as the administration’s artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency adviser — had recently urged Washington to consider an “off-ramp” from the conflict.
Speaking on his “All-In” podcast, he warned that prolonged fighting could strain Israel’s defences and create pressure for drastic escalation.
“If this war continues for weeks or months, then Israel could just be destroyed,” Sacks said, suggesting Israel’s air defences could eventually be exhausted and raise the risk of a nuclear response.
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Hormuz tensions shake energy markets
Trump’s remarks came as the conflict increasingly spilt into the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes.
Following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran has targeted shipping in the strait with drones, missiles and naval mines, disrupting tanker traffic and raising fears of a global energy shock.