Israeli spy chief visits Washington as Netanyahu pushes Trump to resume Iran war, says report

Israel's Mossad chief Roman Gofman visited Washington on Friday for discussions with senior officials of the Donald Trump administration as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly intensified efforts to persuade the US President to resume military operations against Iran.

According to a report by Axios, citing three sources familiar with the matter, Gofman was scheduled to meet CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Washington and was also expected to travel to Miami for discussions with White House envoy Steve Witkoff.

The visit comes amid reported differences between Netanyahu and Trump over whether to launch fresh strikes against Iran or continue diplomatic negotiations backed by economic pressure.

Gofman, considered a close confidant of Netanyahu, is visiting the United States as the Israeli Prime Minister seeks support for renewed military action.

However, Trump has so far resisted pressure to restart the conflict, preferring to maintain economic sanctions and a naval blockade while exploring the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

Mossad, the CIA and the White House declined to comment on the reported meetings.

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽, 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗵𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻

The two leaders discussed the Iran conflict during a telephone conversation on November 5, according to a US official cited by Axios.

Israeli media outlet Ynet subsequently reported that the conversation had turned into a heated disagreement, with one source describing it as a "shouting match from hell".

Netanyahu's office rejected the account, calling it "fake news" and "complete nonsense". A senior Israeli official acknowledged that the conversation had taken place but disputed claims that it had been confrontational.

The reported differences centre on the future of military operations against Iran, with Netanyahu advocating renewed strikes while Trump has indicated a preference for negotiations.

Following discussions with Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Trump suggested that immediate military action was unnecessary.

"We're just keeping it at the status quo," Trump said, signalling his willingness to allow diplomatic efforts more time.

𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗳 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁

According to Axios, Trump has aligned himself with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in favouring continued economic pressure and diplomatic engagement rather than an immediate return to combat.

Speaking on Thursday, the US President said regional governments had encouraged him to maintain the current approach.

"Saudi Arabia has asked me to please just let it be the way it is now for a while," Trump said, adding that Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain also preferred a waiting period.

The Financial Times earlier reported that Netanyahu had been contacting Trump almost daily to urge renewed strikes against Tehran.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has argued that Iran's nuclear threat cannot be permanently eliminated without a change of government in Tehran.

Addressing Israel's parliament on Tuesday, he said overthrowing Iran's leadership was necessary to remove what he described as an existential threat to Israel.

𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹'𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆

The diplomatic developments also come amid political uncertainty in Israel following the October 27 parliamentary elections, in which Netanyahu's bloc failed to secure a majority.

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has received a mandate to form a government, although it remains unclear whether he can assemble the necessary parliamentary support.

Netanyahu met Eisenkot on Thursday for a briefing on developments involving Iran.

In a statement on Friday, Eisenkot stressed the importance of oversight during the political transition and warned against allowing national security decisions to become instruments of political advantage.

He also indicated that the current situation did not require immediate military action against Iran, according to a source close to him cited by Axios.

𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲

The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran in February, targeting its military and nuclear infrastructure. Tehran responded with attacks against American bases and interests across the Gulf region.

The confrontation subsequently expanded into an economic and maritime standoff, with Iran restricting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Washington imposing a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

A ceasefire framework agreed in June failed to produce a lasting settlement, with disagreements continuing over Iran's nuclear programme and maritime access.

While Netanyahu has continued advocating a tougher military approach, Trump has indicated that economic pressure and diplomatic engagement should be given further time.

The Mossad chief's Washington visit comes as both governments consider their next steps, with no publicly announced decision to resume large-scale military operations against Iran.