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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu volition propulsion U.S. President Donald Trump connected Wednesday (February 11, 2026) to instrumentality a tougher stance successful atomic talks with Iran, aft rushing to Washington to stiffen Mr. Trump's resolve.
Mr. Trump said connected the eve of the hastily arranged White House gathering — acceptable to statesman astatine 11:00 a.m. section clip (1600 GMT) — that helium was weighing sending a 2nd U.S. "armada" to the Middle East to unit Tehran to scope a atomic deal.
But Mr. Netanyahu, making his sixth sojourn to the United States since Mr. Trump took office, volition besides beryllium urging the U.S. person to instrumentality a harder enactment connected arch-foe Iran's ballistic rocket programme.
Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington past week successful Oman, warned Monday (February 9, 2026) of "destructive influences" connected diplomacy up of the Israeli premier's visit.
Mr. Netanyahu had been expected to travel to Washington for a February 19 gathering of Mr. Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza, but reportedly brought guardant his sojourn arsenic the U.S.-Iran talks proceeded.
What does Trump think?
While talking up hopes of a atomic deal, Mr. Trump warned successful an interrogation with the Axios quality outlet connected Tuesday (February 10, 2026) that helium was "thinking" of sending a 2nd craft bearer onslaught radical to the region.
"Either we volition marque a woody oregon we volition person to bash thing precise pugnacious similar past time," Mr. Trump told Axios. "We person an armada that is heading determination and different 1 mightiness beryllium going."
Mr. Trump, who ordered U.S. strikes connected Tehran's atomic sites during Israel's 12-day warfare with Iran past June, separately told Fox Business that immoderate woody would person to impact "no atomic weapons, nary missiles."
He added that Iran's leaders "want to marque a deal" but "it's got to beryllium a bully deal", saying Tehran had been "very dishonest with america implicit the years."
What are Netanyahu's goals?
Mr. Netanyahu said arsenic helium near for Washington his talks would "first and foremost" beryllium astir the Iran negotiations, portion adding that they would besides sermon Gaza and different determination issues.
"I volition contiguous to the President our views regarding the principles for the negotiations," helium said successful a video connection earlier his departure. Netanyahu's bureau said helium would volition item Iran's rocket arsenal.
Israel's concerns came to a caput during their unprecedented warfare past year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and different projectiles astatine Israeli territory, striking some subject and civilian areas.
So far, Iran has rejected expanding the scope of its talks with the United States beyond the contented of its atomic program, though Washington besides wants Tehran's ballistic rocket programme and its enactment for determination militant groups connected the table.
What astir the West Bank?
The gathering volition besides travel amid increasing planetary outrage implicit Israeli measures to tighten power of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to bargain onshore straight from Palestinian owners.
Israel's information furniture approved the determination up Mr. Netanyahu's Washington visit. It's unclear whether the U.S. President intends to bring them up.
A U.S. authoritative said connected Monday (February 9, 2026) that Mr. Trump "does not enactment Israel annexing the West Bank" and wants stability, portion holding disconnected from straight criticising the Israeli government's moves. -
How galore meetings?
Wednesday's (February 11, 2026) gathering volition beryllium the sixth brushwood betwixt the 2 leaders connected U.S. ungraded since Mr. Trump returned to bureau successful January 2025 -- 5 times astatine the White House and erstwhile astatine the Republican's Mar-a-Lago edifice successful Florida.
A seventh gathering took spot successful Jerusalem successful October erstwhile Mr. Trump announced a ceasefire successful Gaza.
