Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington on Monday afternoon ahead of a White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, his office said.
The prime minister was initially expected to fly out around 11 a.m. Israel time, but his departure was delayed. Wing of Zion, Israel’s official state aircraft, took off around 1 p.m. from the Nevatim Air Force Base near Beersheva, the Kan News public broadcaster reported.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before departing on a visit to Washington:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 27, 2026
"I am on my way to Washington for a meeting with our friend, President Donald Trump. This is my eighth meeting with him since he was elected president for his second term, more than any other… pic.twitter.com/R5Cf7lJ4od
“I am on my way to Washington for a meeting with our friend, President Donald Trump,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. “This is my eighth meeting with him since he was elected president for his second term—more than any other world leader.
“This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility. From my experience as prime minister, during these complex times we must act with both great determination and great wisdom,” Netanyahu continued. “We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran. Of course, our goal is to safeguard our security while also expanding the circle of peace around us.
“I am embarking on this mission with one clear goal—to ensure the security, strength and future of our dear State of Israel,” declared the premier.
Netanyahu said he was also traveling “to pay final respects to our friend—a true friend of mine and of the State of Israel—Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest friends the State of Israel has ever known.
“I am certain that in this matter, I also represent you, the citizens of Israel,” he said.
Netanyahu’s visit to Washington comes amid continued strategic coordination with the Trump administration following recent tensions with Iran and as the two allies discuss broader regional issues.
Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren told JNS that Netanyahu will seek a public declaration from Trump reaffirming Washington’s commitment to the Jewish state’s security.
Netanyahu will seek a commitment to the disarmament of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Oren said, as well as a clear commitment that the U.S. will continue its political and military campaign against Iran until it no longer poses a threat to Israel and the region.
“That means Iran will not have a nuclear weapon, Iran will not have a dangerous ballistic missile system, and Iran will not support terrorism. That’s what Netanyahu wants. It’s a lot, but he could get it,” Oren continued.
“I think Trump does not want the Israelis to be militarily involved with Iran at this point. He knows it would be different—we would not be restrained, and we would not be stopped so easily once we started. We would strike different targets than the U.S. would; we would hit the oil fields,” he added.
Avichai Boaron, a lawmaker for Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party, said the prime minister “will discuss with Trump what he already knows—Trump has said it multiple times: Iran cannot be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.”
The key question, Boaron said, is how to remove Tehran’s enriched uranium and destroy its production capabilities.
“If, at the next stage, it is possible to bring about the fall of the regime, that’s good, but it is not the main goal. The main goal is to reach a situation in which Iran no longer has the operational or production capabilities to develop nuclear weapons.
“It could be a joint operation, a separate action by the U.S., or one carried out by Israel. It does not necessarily have to be a joint operation, but it does require coordination—coordination is key,” Boaron said.
