Israeli official says leaders discussed diplomacy, economic pressure and possible military options
WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed scepticism about the prospects of a new agreement with Iran during a meeting with US President Donald Trump, while both leaders discussed diplomatic, economic and military options for addressing the ongoing crisis, according to a senior Israeli official.
The official, briefing reporters after the 90-minute meeting, said Iran dominated the discussions. According to the official, Netanyahu questioned whether negotiations with Tehran would succeed, even as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue diplomatic contacts with Iranian representatives.
The official said the two leaders reviewed three possible approaches: pursuing a negotiated agreement, maintaining and expanding economic pressure, or resuming intensified military operations.
According to the briefing, Netanyahu argued that Iran was attempting to use pressure around the Strait of Hormuz to gain leverage, while discussions also covered increasing economic pressure through what the official described as both “kinetic and non-kinetic” measures, including continuing the naval blockade.
Regional security also discussed
The briefing came before reports that Iran launched missiles at a US military base in Jordan. US officials have not publicly linked the reported attack to the White House meeting.
The Israeli official also said Netanyahu informed Trump that Israel would respond immediately if Iran directly attacked Israeli territory.
Separately, the official said Netanyahu presented maps comparing Israeli and Turkish military deployments in Syria and argued that Israel would maintain its presence in a buffer zone in southern Syria while security threats persisted.
Defence cooperation addressed
According to the official, Netanyahu and Trump also discussed a potential US-Saudi nuclear agreement and its possible connection to future Saudi-Israeli normalisation.
In addition, the official claimed Netanyahu reiterated his long-term goal of reducing Israel’s reliance on US military assistance over the next decade. The proposal reportedly includes negotiating a new memorandum of understanding while expanding joint defence research and missile defence cooperation.
The Israeli official further said Netanyahu had instructed Israel’s defence industry to explore the development of an advanced domestically produced fighter aircraft to strengthen long-term defence capabilities.
The statements reflect the Israeli official’s account of the discussions. The White House had not publicly confirmed the specific details of the meeting at the time of reporting, and Iran has not commented on the claims regarding the negotiations.
