The Media Line: Netanyahu To Meet President Trump as US Pauses Iran Strikes, Expands Military Buildup in Israel  

Netanyahu To Meet President Trump as US Pauses Iran Strikes, Expands Military Buildup in Israel  

By The Media Line Staff  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington on Monday for meetings with President Donald Trump after the United States paused strikes on Iran while maintaining an expanded military deployment in Israel and signaling it remains prepared for possible military action. 

President Trump announced Friday night at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner that he will meet with Netanyahu on Tuesday. Netanyahu’s office later confirmed the visit, saying the prime minister will travel to Washington on Monday, meet with the president the following day, and attend the funeral of the late US Sen. Lindsey Graham. 

The announcement came after the United States halted strikes on Iran following nearly two weeks of military action. Before the pause, tensions had raised the prospect that Israel could become directly involved in the conflict as President Trump warned of a “massive” attack and Iran threatened to strike Tel Aviv if Washington targeted the Iranian capital. 

Israeli officials had prepared for a major US strike on Iran overnight Friday that they believed could have expanded the conflict across the Middle East and drawn Israel into the fighting if Iran responded by launching missiles at Israeli territory. 

Despite the pause in strikes, the United States continues to reinforce its military presence in Israel, with about 90 US aerial refueling aircraft and additional military assets now positioned across the country.

An Israeli official told Kan News on Saturday that President Trump appears to have delayed the planned “deadline” to give Iran another opportunity to return to negotiations. 

Kan News also reported that the United States appears to be preparing for a major strike on Iran that could be launched at any time if Washington decides to proceed. 

Senior Israeli officials told Kan News that Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has adopted a hard-line position in negotiations with the United States, complicating efforts to reach an agreement. 

Separately, The New York Times reported Thursday that Iran rejected Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s proposal for a ceasefire. Citing Iranian sources, the newspaper said al-Zaidi met in Tehran with officials overseeing the negotiations, who rejected the proposal because Iran would not discuss a temporary ceasefire that did not fully resolve navigation rights through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Iraqi prime minister’s office denied the report, calling the claims “unfounded.”