US President Donald Trump said Israel would not survive without American support, hours before a White House meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The remark was made to reporters aboard Air Force One.
"Frankly we're being very nice to a lot of countries that would not survive without us," Trump said. "And you know who wouldn't survive without us? Israel. Bibi's coming, he'll tell you."
This will be the eighth meeting between the two leaders since Trump took office last year.
Focus on Iran and regional conflicts
Netanyahu said the talks would "first and foremost" be about Iran, but "all issues" will be discussed. According to a source briefed on the matter, he is going to Washington in "listening mode", the Financial Times reported. However, the source added that the Israeli leader desires to expand military action in Iran.
The US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites on February 28, sparking a major Middle East conflict. Iran retaliated by striking sites across the region and closing the Strait of Hormuz.
The source said: "Netanyahu wants it to be about more than just Hormuz."
F-35 concerns and broader talks
Netanyahu will also raise concerns about Türkiye seeking to buy F-35 fighter jets from the US, as he believes it would lessen Israel's military advantage in the region.
A White House official told the Financial Times that Trump would "discuss the conflict in Iran, progress with the Trilateral Framework in Lebanon, and expanding the Abraham Accords".
Trump's Michigan speech
During a speech in Michigan on Monday, Trump said he is making the "largest-ever investment in the United States Armed Forces", which he called the strongest military in the world.
"We're winning big time with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We're ensuring that they're never having a nuclear weapon. It's very simple. If you understood the power of the nuclear weapons, you'd understand exactly what I was saying," Trump said.
He called Iran "the bully of the Middle East". "You can't bribe them, you gotta beat them, and we're beating the hell out of them," he added. "We'll see how it turns out. Right now there are very friendly negotiations going on."
