Trump warns Iran on nuclear revival as he hosts Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran against reconstituting its nuclear programme as he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his home in Florida for wide-ranging talks.

The warning comes after Mr Trump has insisted that Iran's nuclear capabilities were "completely and fully obliterated" by US strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites in June.

But Israeli officials have been quoted in local media expressing concern about Iran rebuilding its supply of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel.

"Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again," Mr Trump told reporters soon after Mr Netanyahu arrived at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

"And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down.

"We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening."

Iran has insisted that it is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic programme.

But Mr Netanyahu was expected to discuss with Mr Trump the need to potentially take new military action against Iran just months after launching a 12-day war on Iran.

Mr Trump criticised Iran anew for not making a deal to completely disarm its nuclear programme ahead of the US and Israeli strikes earlier this year.

"They wish they made that deal," Mr Trump said.

Speaking to reporters as the two leaders entered President Trump's Mar-a-Lago beach club in ⁠Florida, Mr Trump struck a decidedly supportive tone with Mr Netanyahu, even as some aides and allies have suggested Mr Netanyahu was slow-walking elements of the ceasefire accord signed in October.

Mr Trump said he wanted to move to the second phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas as soon as possible, but that "there has to be a disarming of Hamas".

He added that he would be open to supporting another rapidIsraeli attack on Iran if that country keeps developing itsballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

"I feel that if you had the wrong prime minister, Israel would not exist," ‍Mr Trump told reporters, in remarks full of praise for the Israeli leader.

He said Israeli President Isaac Herzog had told him he planned to pardon Mr Netanyahu of corruption-related charges.

President Herzog denied the claim by Mr Trump that the pair had discussed his request for a pardon for Mr Netanyahu.

"There has not been a conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted," President Herzog's office said in a statement.

Mr Trump also said that he hoped Israel could get along with Syria, even as Mr Netanyahu's government has consistently infringed upon Syrian territorial sovereignty since former strongman Bashar al-Assad was deposed late last year.

Mr Netanyahu's visit also comes at another critical moment in Gaza as Mr Trump looks to create fresh momentum for the US-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire that is in danger of stalling before reaching the complicated second phase of the agreement.

Mr Trump, with Mr Netanyahu by his side, said he wants to get to the second phase "as quickly as we can".

"But there has to be a disarming of Hamas," Mr Trump added.

Before his talks with Mr Trump, Mr Netanyahu met separately with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that Mr Trump championed has mostly held, but progress has slowed recently.

Both sides accuse each other of violations, and divisions have emerged among the US, Israel and Arab countries about the path forward.

The truce’s first phase began in October, days after the two-year anniversary of the initial Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people.

All but one of the 251 hostages taken then have been released, alive or dead.

Mr Netanyahu signalled he is in no rush to move forward with the next phase as long as the remains of the last hostage Ran Gvili are still in Gaza.

Mr Gvili’s parents met with Mr Netanyahu as well as Mr Rubio, US envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Florida.

They are expected to meet with Mr Trump later in the day, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that advocates for families of abductees of the 7 October 2023 attack.

"They’re waiting for their son to come home," Mr Trump said of the family of the young police officer known affectionately as "Rani".

The family, according to the group, is looking "to ensure there will be no transition to Phase 2 of the agreement until Hamas fulfils its Phase 1 commitments and returns Ran home".

Mr Trump’s 20-point plan, which was approved by the UN Security Council, lays out an ambitious vision for ending Hamas’ rule of Gaza.

Lebanon ceasefire also tested

In Lebanon, a US-backed ceasefire in November 2024 ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and required the disarmament of the powerful Iran-backed Shiite group, beginning in areas south of the river adjacent to Israel. While Lebanon has said it is close to completing the mission within the year-end deadline of disarming Hezbollah, the group has resisted calls to lay down its weapons.

Israel says progress is partial and slow and has been carrying out near-daily strikes in Lebanon, which it says are meant to stop Hezbollah from rebuilding. Iran, which fought a 12-day war with Israel in June, said last week that it had conducted missile ‍exercises for the second time this month.

Mr Netanyahu said last week that Israel was not seeking a confrontation with Iran, but was aware of the reports, and said he would raise Tehran's activities with Mr Trump.

The Israeli official said Mr Netanyahu was expected to present intelligence on Iranian efforts to build up its arms.

The official did not elaborate on any Israeli demands or actions regarding Iran.

Mr Trump in June ordered US strikes on Iranian ⁠nuclear sites but has since then broached a potential deal with Tehran.