Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday departed Israel for the US, where he will meet with President Trump to discuss possible military options against Iran, according to Israeli sources speaking to CNN.
One Israeli source told the outlet that talks between the US and Iran will likely not succeed and that Israel wants to preserve the ability to attack the Islamic Republic even if an agreement is reached, but any Israeli strike on Iran would collapse diplomacy between Washington and Tehran, since Israel would need US support to defend its territory from an Iranian counterattack.
Before departing Israel, Netanyahu told reporters that Iran is the “first and foremost” issue he will discuss with Trump. He was initially supposed to travel to the US for a February 18 meeting, but Israel requested it be moved up following the US-Iran talks in Oman.
“On this trip, we will discuss a series of issues: Gaza, the region, but first and foremost, the negotiations with Iran,” he said. “I will present the president with our views regarding the essential principles of the negotiations – principles that, in our eyes, are vital not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who desires peace and security in the Middle East.”
Netanyahu’s trip marks the sixth time he’s traveled to the US since President Trump returned to office in January 2025. During one of his July visits, Netanyahu held two meetings with the US president, making the upcoming talks the seventh meeting between the two leaders in the US.
Israel is pushing for the US to demand that any deal with Iran must include zero nuclear enrichment and restrictions on its ballistic missiles, demands Iranian officials have said are a non-starter and are likely designed to ensure there’s no agreement. Trump suggested on Tuesday that Iran’s missiles should be included in the agreement.
One of the Israeli sources speaking to CNN said that Israel is “worried about Iran’s progress in restoring its ballistic missile stockpiles and capabilities to its status before the 12-Day War.”
