Trump issues warning to Hamas, Iran after talks with Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump on Monday warned Iran against rebuilding its military capabilities and said Hamas would face severe consequences if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he appeared alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following talks in Florida.

Speaking at a joint news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump threatened fresh action against Tehran, saying the United States would “eradicate” any attempt by Iran to revive its nuclear programme or ballistic missile arsenal after recent US and Israeli strikes.

Trump also dismissed reports of friction with Netanyahu over the next phase of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, insisting Israel had fulfilled its obligations and that responsibility now rested with Hamas.

“If they don’t disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them,” Trump told reporters. “They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time.”

Earlier on Monday, Hamas’s armed wing again stated that it would not give up its weapons.

Meanwhile, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader warned that Tehran would respond forcefully to any attack.

“Iran’s #Missile_Capability and defense are not containable or permission-based. Any aggression will face an immediate #Harsh_Response beyond its planners’ imagination,” Ali Shamkhani wrote on X.

‘Very productive’ talks

Netanyahu described his meeting with Trump as “very productive” and announced that Israel would confer its highest civilian honour on the US president — the first time it has been awarded to a non-Israeli.

Trump, who often refers to himself as a “president of peace,” said he was keen to push forward the next stage of the Gaza truce, which would involve installing a Palestinian technocratic administration and deploying an international stabilisation force.

Despite concerns among some White House officials that Netanyahu is delaying the process, Trump said he had “very little difference” with the Israeli leader and was “not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing.”

The meeting marked the fifth time Trump and Netanyahu have met in the United States since Trump’s return to office this year. Netanyahu also appeared to steer discussions toward Israel’s concerns over Iran.

Israeli officials and media have warned that Iran may be rebuilding its ballistic missile stockpile following damage sustained during the 12-day war with Israel in June.

Trump said Iran “may be behaving badly” and could be seeking new nuclear facilities to replace those struck earlier this year, as well as restoring its missile capabilities.

“I hope they’re not trying to build up again because if they are, we’re going have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup,” Trump said, adding that any response “may be more powerful than the last time.”

However, he maintained that Iran still appeared interested in reaching a deal with Washington over its nuclear and missile programmes — claims Tehran continues to deny, insisting it is not pursuing nuclear weapons.

Gaza and regional tensions

Discussions between Trump and Netanyahu also covered other regional flashpoints, including Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump said he hoped Netanyahu could “get along” with Syria’s new president, a former Islamist rebel leader who overthrew Bashar al-Assad a year ago, despite repeated Israeli strikes along the border.

Netanyahu’s visit followed several days of high-level diplomacy in Palm Beach, where Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday for talks on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Gaza ceasefire reached in October remains one of the major foreign policy achievements of Trump’s first year back in office, with US and regional mediators eager to sustain momentum.

According to Axios, Trump is aiming to announce plans as early as January for an interim Gaza administration and an international force.

Trump offered few specifics, saying only that he hoped “reconstruction” could soon begin in Gaza, which has been devastated by Israeli strikes following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

However, Hamas disarmament remains a major sticking point. Its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, reiterated its position in a video message.

“Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains,” the group said.

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