Netanyahu heads to US for first Trump meeting since Iran war began

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington for his first meeting with US President Donald Trump since the start of the Iran war, a conflict over which they have publicly disagreed. The White House meeting on Tuesday is expected to focus on the war, which began in February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, and the broader regional landscape.

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This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility. We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran. Naturally, our goal is to safeguard our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us.

Relations between Netanyahu and Trump have shown occasional strain, but both leaders have worked to ease tensions. This meeting, their eighth since Trump's return to office, comes amid a fragile ceasefire that collapsed earlier this month, leading to renewed hostilities. Israel has not directly participated in the latest round of conflict.

Netanyahu described the visit as a "great privilege" and a "great responsibility," stating his goals are to safeguard Israel's security and expand peace in the region. He downplayed past "tactical disagreements" with Trump, emphasizing alignment on the war's ultimate objectives. The leaders are also slated to discuss a US-brokered normalization deal with Lebanon and the ongoing humanitarian crisis and reconstruction standstill in Gaza.

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I think that the main issue... is to show the world, to show Iran, and also even Lebanon and others as well specifically, that there is no break or any kind of major disagreement between the United States and Israel.

Experts suggest the visit's primary aim is to project a united front, reassuring Iran and other regional actors that US-Israeli ties remain strong. Differences between the leaders are seen as concerning the methods and timelines of operations rather than the fundamental goals of the war. Trump is also expected to prioritize Iran and the expansion of the Abraham Accords over Gaza.

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There's more in agreement between the two leaders than disagreement.