Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Defence Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and other Israeli officials met with officials from the Trump administration, which included Vice President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, on Thursday night, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told The Jerusalem Post.
The meeting took place as the US was deliberating whether to join Israel in strikes against Iran. US President Donald Trump said he would make a decision in a matter of two weeks on whether the country would join the strikes against the Islamic Republic, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Trump weighs Iran strike
Citing a message from Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”
Leavitt told a regular briefing that Trump was interested in pursuing a diplomatic solution with Iran, but his top priority was ensuring that Iran could not obtain a nuclear weapon. Three US aircraft carriers are expected to be positioned in the region, with ten US military cargo planes en route to US Central Command bases in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Iran launched a barrage of 20 missiles targeting Israel, escalating tensions in the region. One of the missiles struck the northern city of Haifa, causing widespread destruction. Videos from the ground show significant damage to buildings and infrastructure, highlighting the intensity of the attack.
