Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Netanyahu meets Trump as US says Iran missiles intercepted
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held White House talks with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday as the US military said it had intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched from Iran at US forces in the Middle East.
The closed-door meeting lasted about an hour and a half. The White House described it as “positive and productive”.
Netanyahu said in a video message afterwards that it was “one of the best conversations” he had had with Trump. He said the talks covered “our common goal: ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.”
US Central Command said “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East,” adding that all missiles were intercepted.
The Iran war began in late February with US-Israeli strikes and has recently seen a pause in fighting, with Washington saying it wants to give negotiations a chance.
The meeting came after public disagreements between Trump and Netanyahu over the war. Israel has not taken part in the latest round of hostilities between the United States and Iran, which flared earlier this month after an April ceasefire collapsed.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Tuesday they targeted the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles, accusing it of violating a blockade on Saudi ports announced by the group. Saudi Arabia had not commented on the tanker claim, but reported intercepting drones targeting oil facilities in its east and blamed pro-Iran militias in Iraq.
The leaders were also expected to discuss implementation of a US-sponsored framework deal signed by Israel and Lebanon last month, as well as Gaza, where diplomatic efforts to restart reconstruction are stalled.
Relations between Trump and Netanyahu reached a low point in April during negotiations on the Iran ceasefire. Trump later described Netanyahu in an interview as “a very difficult guy”. Netanyahu has called the exchanges “tactical disagreements” and said the two leaders are aligned on the goals of the war.
Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said Netanyahu's visit came at a “critical time for the Middle East” and accused Iran of continuing “to choose terrorism over negotiations” and blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Netanyahu's office said he attended a private memorial dinner in Washington on Monday evening in honour of the late senator Lindsey Graham and also went to a memorial service for him.
Update
US Central Command said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran at US forces based in the Middle East.
US Central Command said all of the missiles were successfully intercepted.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 23:30:18 UTC.
Update
Yemen's Houthi rebels said they targeted the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles.
Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthi tanker claim, but reported intercepting drones targeting oil facilities in its east and blamed pro-Iran militias in Iraq.
Netanyahu's office said he attended a private memorial dinner and a memorial service in Washington for the late senator Lindsey Graham.
The meeting was described as the eighth between Netanyahu and Trump since Trump's return to office in early 2025.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 21:44:49 UTC.
Update
Benjamin Netanyahu said after the meeting that the talks covered what he called the shared goal of ensuring Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.
Danny Danon said the visit came at a critical time for the Middle East and accused Iran of blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Netanyahu attended memorial events in Washington for Lindsey Graham around the White House meeting.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 19:26:09 UTC.
Update
Benjamin Netanyahu said he had his “best conversation” in an “excellent” meeting with Donald Trump.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 18:53:27 UTC.
Update
The meeting took place behind closed doors.
The talks lasted about an hour and a half.
The White House described the talks as positive and productive.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 16:49:34 UTC.
Update
Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House on Tuesday for his first in-person talks with Donald Trump since the Iran war began.
The meeting is the eighth between the leaders since Trump's return to office in early 2025.
Danny Danon said Netanyahu's visit came at a critical time for the Middle East.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 15:27:13 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu attended a private memorial dinner in Washington for the late Senator Lindsey Graham and is scheduled to attend Graham's memorial service later Tuesday.
The source says some observers believe the talks could address a possible easing of Israel's military presence in Lebanon, Syria or Gaza.
Netanyahu's visit comes months before Israeli national elections, with the source reporting that recent polls show him trailing and public anger lingering over the October 7, 2023 attack.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 08:17:38 UTC.
Update
The meeting will be the leaders' first in-person talks since the Iran war began.
The meeting is expected to focus first on Iran, with Washington saying it wants to give negotiations a chance.
The source says this will be the eighth meeting between Netanyahu and Trump since Trump returned to office.
The leaders are also expected to discuss a US-sponsored Israel-Lebanon framework deal and Gaza reconstruction efforts.
Netanyahu said before leaving Israel that he and Trump would discuss Iran and other issues.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 01:54:48 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu's visit comes amid mounted tensions between him and Trump over the handling of the war with Iran.
Since Trump's return to the White House last year, Netanyahu and Trump have met six times.
Netanyahu has described Trump as Israel's greatest friend in the White House.
The source says their alliance has shown signs of strain in recent months, including profanity-laced criticism by Trump during negotiations over the Iran deal.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 14:37:41 UTC.
Update
Netanyahu's office said he will depart for Washington on Monday.
Netanyahu's office said he will attend the funeral service for Senator Lindsey Graham, described by the office as a friend of Israel.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 14:24:41 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthis' claim that they targeted the NCC Ghazal.
The precise damage or consequences from the reported Iranian missile launches were not detailed beyond the US statement that all were intercepted.
Source
AFP news report published on .