Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump praised the strength of their countries’ alliance following a closed-door meeting at the White House on Tuesday, marking their first face-to-face talks since the outbreak of the recent U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.
The 90-minute meeting in the Oval Office, described by the White House as “positive and productive,” came amid heightened regional tensions and renewed international focus on Iran’s nuclear program.
After the talks, Netanyahu said the meeting was “one of the best” he had ever held with the U.S. president, adding that both leaders remained committed to their shared objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The meeting followed signs of strain in the relationship after Trump publicly voiced frustration with Netanyahu in a recent Fox News interview, leading to speculation that the discussions could be difficult.
However, both sides sought to project unity after the meeting, emphasizing close strategic cooperation.
The talks also carried domestic political significance for Netanyahu, who is preparing for Israel’s upcoming general election scheduled for October 27.
According to Reuters, citing unnamed sources, Netanyahu hoped to secure Trump’s public backing to strengthen his re-election campaign of an October 27 vote.
Meanwhile, developments in Iran continued alongside the diplomatic meeting, with Tehran carrying out the execution of two men accused of involvement in anti-government protests, underscoring the continuing tensions across the region.