Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House in their first face-to-face talks since the Iran war began, with discussions expected to focus on regional security, Iran, Gaza and efforts to strengthen Middle East diplomacy.
The meeting comes amid reports of tensions between the two leaders over the conduct of the conflict, although both have recently sought to play down suggestions of a widening rift.
It will be the eighth meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu since the US president returned to office last year.
Before leaving Israel, Mr Netanyahu described the visit as both an honour and a responsibility.
“This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility,” he said.
He added: “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.”
The talks come after weeks of heightened tensions involving Iran. Washington says it is giving diplomacy another opportunity, while Israel has remained outside the latest round of direct hostilities between the United States and Iran following the collapse of a ceasefire earlier this month.
Although relations between the two leaders have appeared strained in recent months, both sides have publicly insisted they remain united on the broader objectives of the conflict.
At the height of disagreements over ceasefire negotiations, Mr Trump reportedly criticised the Israeli leader in unusually blunt language and later described him as “a very difficult guy” during an interview.
Mr Netanyahu dismissed the disagreements as “tactical”, maintaining that both governments shared the same strategic goals.
The leaders are also expected to review the implementation of a US-backed agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon last month, which has faced challenges on the ground.
Gaza is also expected to feature prominently during the discussions as reconstruction efforts remain stalled nearly three years after the war with Hamas began.
The humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory continues to worsen, while Israeli military operations against suspected militants remain ongoing.
Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said one of the main objectives of the meeting is to demonstrate unity between Washington and Jerusalem.
“The main issue is to show the world, to show Iran, and also Lebanon and others, that there is no break or any kind of major disagreement between the United States and Israel,” he said.
He added: “There’s more in agreement between the two leaders than disagreement.”
According to Mr Freeman, differences between the two governments relate more to the timing and intensity of military operations than to their overall strategic goals.
He said Mr Trump is expected to prioritise Iran and expanding the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements that normalised Israel’s relations with several Arab states during his first term.
However, analysts say discussions could also include the possibility of reducing Israel’s military footprint in parts of the region, including Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
The visit also carries domestic political significance for Mr Netanyahu, who is expected to seek another term in office in Israel’s upcoming national elections.
Recent opinion polls suggest the Israeli prime minister faces growing public dissatisfaction over his government’s handling of the Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war.
