Where this was said
Headlines & Netanyahu's Washington Visit
At 0:26 · chapter starts 0:00
Dave Mattingly opens the bulletin with the week's biggest geopolitical story: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the White House, where President Trump awaits. The primary focus will be the ongoing war with Iran, but NPR's Emily Feng, reporting from Tel Aviv, reveals a second flashpoint — a newly signed US-Saudi nuclear energy agreement that Israel has long opposed. Netanyahu fears the deal could one day give Saudi Arabia a pathway to nuclear weapons. Adding political texture to the trip, Netanyahu will also attend the funeral of late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Israeli ally. A recent Israeli poll underscores domestic pressure on Netanyahu: over 90% of Israelis said the now-abandoned US-Iran ceasefire favored Iranian interests, suggesting the Israeli public has little appetite for diplomatic compromise.
Netanyahu is flying to Washington for White House talks focused on the Iran war, but a new US-Saudi nuclear energy deal is causing equal alarm in Israel. Israel has long opposed such a deal, fearing Saudi Arabia could one day weaponize the technology.
An Israeli poll from last month found more than 90% of Israelis believed the now-abandoned US-Iran ceasefire favored Iranian interests.
After nearly two weeks of daily US airstrikes against Iran, the US military has paused its attacks, with Iran also halting missile and drone launches since late last week.
After nearly two weeks of daily US airstrikes on Iran, the military has quietly paused — and Iran has also stopped launching missiles and drones. Neither the Pentagon nor CENTCOM is commenting on the halt or its duration.
