Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House next week amid Iran war escalation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington on Monday for an official visit, with a White House meeting with President Trump set for Tuesday. The trip aligns with Netanyahu's attendance at the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican supporter of Israel who died unexpectedly last week.

This represents Netanyahu's seventh White House visit during Trump's current term, a frequency that exceeds any other world leader and reflects the administration's sustained backing of Israel. The timing comes as military tensions have intensified following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran earlier this month. Israel had previously opposed the agreement, and its military operations in Lebanon have repeatedly threatened diplomatic efforts.

The Trump administration is currently overseeing negotiations between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending their conflict, though these discussions exclude Hezbollah. While both nations have agreed in principle to a plan transferring Israeli-occupied territories to Lebanese military control, the situation on the ground has remained largely static since March. During a recent meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump provided no withdrawal timeline for Israeli forces.

Military escalation continues across the region. US Central Command reported completing its thirteenth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while Iran has responded with daily retaliatory attacks against American assets. Last week, an Iranian strike on a base in Jordan killed three US soldiers. Washington has simultaneously increased military deployments to Israel, which some analysts interpret as preparation for broader conflict.

The visit also underscores the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where an estimated 1.4 million people—67 percent of the population—face severe food insecurity according to UN analysis. At least 73,311 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, with 1,185 deaths occurring since the current ceasefire commenced in October. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli military and settler operations have intensified, resulting in four Palestinian deaths on Friday near Nablus.