Roman Gofman, whom Axios described as one of Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, is meeting CIA Director John Ratcliffe, according to three sources with knowledge of the visit. One of the sources said the Mossad director is also expected to travel to Miami to meet White House envoy Steve Witkoff.
The CIA, the Mossad and the White House declined to comment.
Netanyahu Presses for Strikes
The Washington talks come as the Israeli prime minister is pressing President Donald Trump to resume the war against Iran. Axios reported that Trump has so far rejected that pressure to return to combat.
The two men discussed the Iran war during a Nov. 5 call, a U.S. official told the outlet.
The appeal fits a longer lobbying campaign from Jerusalem. Clash Report has previously reported that Netanyahu has been calling Trump “every day” to urge a resumption of U.S. strikes, citing the Financial Times.
Trump Sides With Gulf States
Trump has instead sided with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to continue the naval blockade and the economic pressure campaign against Iran, while seeing whether a deal is possible, Axios said.
“I could end it immediately. At the request of the nations that I’m looking to protect, we are doing it a little bit longer way, a little bit more civilly,” Trump said on Thursday, according to the report.
“Saudi Arabia has asked me to please just let it be the way it is now for a while, because [Iran is] disintegrating. Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, all of them would much prefer the waiting period.”
Opposition Fears a Provocation
Netanyahu lost his parliamentary majority in Israel’s Oct. 27 election. His opponent, Gadi Eisenkot, has received a mandate to form a new government, though Axios said it remains unclear whether he will be able to do so.
Netanyahu would be removed from power if Eisenkot succeeds. Leaders of the Israeli opposition are concerned that the caretaker prime minister will try to launch an attack on Iran — or provoke Iran to attack Israel — in order to undermine Eisenkot’s efforts, sources told Axios.
On Thursday, Netanyahu met Eisenkot for two hours and briefed him on the situation with Iran. A source close to Eisenkot said he does not think the current situation demands immediate military action against Iran.
The session followed a public clash over operational updates, after which the two men had already been due to hold a joint security briefing.
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