Netanyahu arrives for 8th meeting with Trump this term to discuss Iran, regional issues

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Washington on Monday afternoon for his seventh trip to the U.S. to meet with President Donald Trump since Trump returned to the White House in 2025. 

The consultation between the two leaders comes as the situation in Iran remains unclear after the U.S. military ceased conducting regular bombing operations last week, following 13 consecutive days of strikes. 

The meeting on Tuesday will be the eighth time the two leaders have met, including a brief visit by President Trump to Israel in October 2025, when he announced the Gaza ceasefire. 

The Iran issue is expected to dominate the talks, although the two leaders are also expected to discuss the situation in Lebanon, where a pilot program to transfer control of some areas to the Lebanese Armed Forces has already begun, as well as Syria and Gaza. 

President Trump has been pushing to rehabilitate Syria, following the Fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, giving vocal support to new president Ahmed al-Sharaa, despite Israeli reservations. 

At the same time, according to reports in Israeli media, the recent Israeli cabinet decision to allow International Stabilization Forces (ISF) into Gaza was undertaken as part of an attempt to demonstrate progress to President Trump, securing Netanyahu a meeting with the U.S. president.

Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that Trump was unwilling to meet with Netanyahu without some diplomatic achievement to show progress on the president’s efforts in the region. 

A report in the New York Post, citing an Israeli source, said that Netanyahu will present Israeli intelligence indicating that Iran recently transferred centrifuges to the Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz, located more than 90 meters (295 feet) below the ground. The intelligence also indicates that Tehran has begun rehabilitating missile and drone systems damaged in recent U.S. strikes. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s flight to the U.S. departed in an unusual fashion. Unlike previous trips, in which Netanyahu departed from the Ben Gurion International Airport after giving statements to the media, this time, Netanyahu departed from the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel, with no prior announcement. 

According to reports in Hebrew media, an unspecified Iranian threat was behind the unusual departure. 

In a video statement released after his departure, Netanyahu said, “I am embarking on this mission with one clear objective: to ensure the security, strength, and future of our beloved State of Israel.” 

The prime minister also highlighted the record number of his visits with President Trump. 

“I am on my way to Washington for a meeting with our friend, President Donald Trump. This is my eighth meeting with him since he was elected president for his second term, more than any other international leader,” Netanyahu stated. “This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility.” 

Netanyahu also hinted at the range of issues to be discussed with President Trump, saying, “We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran. Of course, our goal is to safeguard our security while also expanding the circle of peace around us.” 

Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump at 11:00 a.m. Washington time (6:00 p.m. Israel time). About three hours later, he will attend the funeral of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Israel's fiercest supporters in Washington. 

Netanyahu's schedule for Wednesday has not been released, but it is estimated that he will hold additional meetings with Israel supporters. He is expected to return to Israel on Thursday.