Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Trump to discuss the situation with Iran and military aid to Israel. During the meeting, Netanyahu expressed skepticism about the potential for a deal with Iran and suggested increasing economic pressure through various means, according to a senior Israeli official. This meeting was the first between the two leaders since the onset of the war on February 28.
The discussion lasted 90 minutes and focused primarily on Iran. Three options were considered for U.S. actions: reaching a deal with Iran, continuing the naval blockade while increasing economic pressure, and resuming military strikes. The Israeli official noted that Netanyahu informed Trump that if Iran attacks Israel, the response would be immediate and powerful.
Following the meeting, Iran launched a missile attack on an American base in Jordan, marking a significant escalation. Trump indicated a serious response might be forthcoming. The Israeli official also mentioned that Netanyahu presented a map to Trump showing the territorial control of Turkey and Israel in Syria, emphasizing the need for accurate information in shaping U.S. policy.
Netanyahu also discussed the U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal, indicating that he sees it in the context of Saudi normalization with Israel. He expressed a desire to reduce U.S. military aid to Israel to zero within ten years and proposed negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding regarding military support. Netanyahu believes Israel's economic situation allows for this reduction and is advocating for substantial U.S. military aid to continue in the interim.