Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
U.S. President Donald Trump described his three-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “very good,” underscoring a renewed push for diplomacy with Iran while leaving open the possibility of tougher measures if negotiations fail.
The closed-door meeting at the White House, the seventh between the two leaders since Trump returned to office, focused on Iran’s nuclear program, the war in Gaza and broader regional developments. Despite the length and high-level attendance, no final decisions were announced.
In a post on his Truth Social platform shortly after the meeting, Trump said he had made clear to Netanyahu that he intended to continue pursuing negotiations with Tehran. “Nothing final was agreed except that I insisted on continuing negotiations with Iran to see whether a deal can be made,” he wrote. “If that is possible, I will inform the Prime Minister that this is my preferred option. If not, we will have to wait and see what happens.”
Trump also referenced last year’s U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, describing them as a “midnight hammer” response to Tehran’s earlier refusal to reach an agreement. “We hope this time they will be more rational and responsible,” he said, signaling both a willingness to talk and a readiness to escalate if diplomacy collapses.
An Uncertain Diplomatic Track
According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu arrived in Washington seeking to broaden the scope of any potential U.S.-Iran agreement beyond the nuclear file to include restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and its support for regional proxy groups. Israeli officials have long argued that limiting uranium enrichment alone would leave core security concerns unaddressed.
Channel 12 in Israel, citing American and Israeli officials, reported that the meeting aimed in part to coordinate a joint plan of action should Washington fail to reach an agreement with Tehran. Both sides, the report suggested, harbor doubts about the prospects for a deal, even one confined strictly to the nuclear issue.
A brief statement from Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the leaders discussed negotiations with Iran, Gaza and regional developments. “The Prime Minister emphasized Israel’s security needs in the context of the talks,” the statement said, adding that the two sides agreed to maintain close coordination and ongoing communication. It made no reference to concrete outcomes.
Netanyahu has consistently described Iran as an existential threat to Israel and has pressed Washington to curb Tehran’s regional influence. Ahead of his departure, his office said he believed any agreement must include limits on ballistic missiles and an end to support for what Israel calls the “Iranian axis.” Israeli media also reported that Netanyahu told Trump any deal should not contain a sunset clause that would allow restrictions to expire after a fixed period.
Military Posture and Regional Pressure
The meeting comes amid heightened U.S. military activity in the Middle East. Trump recently said he was considering sending a second carrier strike group to the region. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was deployed last month following escalating tensions and warnings from Washington to Tehran.
In an interview with Axios, Trump said, “We have a fleet heading there, and another fleet may follow,” while also insisting that Iran “very much wants to make a deal” and that a diplomatic solution remains possible.
Israeli officials, however, have made clear that Israel reserves the right to act militarily against Iran if diplomacy fails. Reports in Israeli media suggest that some in Jerusalem believe a coordinated U.S.-Israeli strike would be more effective than unilateral action, should talks collapse.
The unusual secrecy surrounding this week’s meeting Netanyahu’s motorcade entered the White House through a side route without public ceremony, reflected the sensitivity of the discussions. Among those present were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, senior adviser Jared Kushner and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, according to a White House official.
Domestic Pressures and Strategic Calculations
Netanyahu’s visit his sixth to the United States since Trump returned to office, comes as he faces pressure from right-wing coalition partners at home to leverage his close relationship with Trump to secure a far-reaching agreement that addresses Israel’s full spectrum of security concerns.
Analysts say Israel worries that in the rush to secure a diplomatic win, Washington could accept a deal that leaves intact elements of Iran’s missile program or regional proxy network. Dan Byman, a professor at Georgetown University, has noted that Israeli officials fear an agreement might focus narrowly on nuclear enrichment while overlooking missile capabilities and Tehran’s support for armed groups across the region.
“There is concern that the president may prioritize achieving a deal itself over the specific content of that deal,” Byman has said, reflecting a broader unease among some U.S. allies about the balance between diplomatic speed and strategic depth.
At the same time, some regional experts argue that Iran enters the current talks from a weakened position. Following widespread domestic protests and last year’s U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Tehran faces economic strain and internal political pressure. Mohammad Hafez, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School specializing in Middle Eastern politics, has described the Iranian regime as being in a “very fragile position,” potentially increasing Washington’s leverage at the negotiating table.
Gaza and the Wider Region
Beyond Iran, Trump said he and Netanyahu discussed what he called “major progress” on Gaza and across the region, though he offered no specifics. The Gaza conflict continues to reverberate across Middle Eastern capitals, complicating U.S. diplomacy and shaping Israel’s strategic calculations.
Before meeting Trump, Netanyahu signed a document formalizing Israel’s accession to a “Peace Council” initiative related to Gaza during talks with Secretary of State Rubio at Blair House. Details of the initiative were not immediately clear, but the move appeared designed to signal engagement on the diplomatic front even as military and security discussions dominate the bilateral agenda.
A Delicate Balancing Act
The Washington talks highlight the delicate balance both leaders are attempting to strike: projecting unity and resolve while keeping diplomatic channels open. Trump has framed diplomacy as his preferred path, yet coupled it with explicit reminders of past military action. Netanyahu, for his part, is seeking firm guarantees that Israeli security concerns will not be sidelined.
Whether this latest round of engagement leads to a renewed agreement with Iran, coordinated contingency planning, or a return to confrontation remains uncertain. For now, both Washington and Jerusalem appear aligned on one point: the coming weeks will be decisive in determining whether the region moves toward a negotiated settlement or a new phase of escalation.
