Mossad Chief in Washington as Netanyahu Presses Trump to Resume Iran Strikes

admin · November 13, 2026 · 6 min read

The United States Capitol at dusk in Washington, D.C., where Mossad chief Roman Gofman held talks with U.S. officials on Iran.

The head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, Roman Gofman, was in Washington on Friday for talks with senior Trump administration officials about the war with Iran, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presses President Donald Trump to resume military strikes, Axios reported, citing three sources familiar with the visit.

Gofman met CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Washington and was expected to travel on to Miami to meet White House envoy Steve Witkoff, according to the report. The Jerusalem Post reported the same meetings, citing its own sources. The Mossad, the CIA and the White House all declined to comment on the visit.

The trip comes as Netanyahu intensifies his effort to persuade Trump to return to military operations against Iran. A U.S. official told Axios that Trump has so far turned down those calls. Instead, the president has kept in place a naval blockade and an economic pressure campaign while leaving open the possibility of a negotiated settlement — an approach also favored by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump favors pressure over new strikes — for now

Trump said on Thursday that he could end the confrontation quickly if he chose to. “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,” he said, according to Axios.

In a CNN interview on Sunday, Trump said further strikes were “highly unlikely” if Iran signed a “very strong agreement” on its nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but added that he would strike “if necessary.” Trump said the war with Iran was effectively over after talks with Qatar’s prime minister earlier this week, and Trump pulled Vice President JD Vance off the Iran talks this week, saying the United States does not need a deal with Tehran.

The Financial Times earlier reported that Netanyahu had been contacting Trump almost daily to urge renewed strikes. The two leaders discussed the war in a telephone conversation on November 5, a U.S. official told Axios.

Why this visit matters

Gofman, who took over the Mossad in June, is one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants and previously served as his military secretary. His trip gives Netanyahu a second channel — through the intelligence chiefs — for a request he has been making directly to Trump for weeks.

The stakes are high on both sides. The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran in February, targeting its military and nuclear infrastructure. Axios reported on October 28 that U.S. and Israeli officials expected a week-long bombing campaign if no deal was reached, aimed at Iran’s leadership, energy facilities, nuclear sites and infrastructure.

Israeli media have reported that the military does not see an urgent operational need to strike Iran, and that defense officials would prefer any renewed campaign to be carried out alongside the United States.

Netanyahu’s political clock

The visit also comes at a delicate moment in Israeli politics. Netanyahu lost his parliamentary majority in Israel’s October 27 election, and his opponent, Gadi Eisenkot, has received a mandate to try to form a new government. Axios reported that some Israeli opposition figures worry Netanyahu could seek a military confrontation with Iran — or provoke an Iranian strike on Israel — to undercut that effort.

The pressure follows an earlier, disputed Channel 12 report alleging that Netanyahu and Gofman had considered an operation against Iran shortly before the Israeli election, but that Washington intervened after learning of the plan. The Prime Minister’s Office rejected that account, saying: “The prime minister himself clarified in real time that an attack before the Israeli elections was not on the agenda.”

Latest developments

In a separate development, The Wall Street Journal reported that Vice President JD Vance is weighing face-to-face talks with Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, with Trump’s backing. No meeting has been scheduled.

Iran, meanwhile, has warned other countries against providing military or logistical assistance to the United States for operations against Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a post on X. No publicly announced decision to resume large-scale military operations has been made.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Roman Gofman?

Roman Gofman is the director of Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency. He took over the agency in June 2026 and is one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, having previously served as his military secretary.

Why is Netanyahu pushing for renewed strikes on Iran?

Netanyahu argues that Iran is working to renew its nuclear threat and wants the United States to return to military operations. Trump has so far preferred a naval blockade, economic sanctions and diplomacy, a position shared by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Has Trump agreed to resume strikes on Iran?

No. According to Axios, citing a U.S. official, Trump has so far turned down Netanyahu’s calls to return to combat. Trump has said further strikes are “highly unlikely” if Iran signs a strong agreement, but that he would strike “if necessary.”

What happens next?

Watch for the outcome of Gofman’s expected meeting with White House envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami, any change in Trump’s public position, and the progress of Gadi Eisenkot’s efforts to form a new Israeli government — all of which could shape whether the standoff with Iran turns back toward war or toward a deal.

The visit underscores how far apart the two allies remain on Iran: Netanyahu is pushing for a return to combat, while Trump is betting — at least for now — that pressure and diplomacy can do the job without it.

Sources

Axios, “Israeli spy chief in D.C. as Netanyahu presses Trump to resume war,” November 13, 2026 (reported via The Insight International, Fact.net, Matzav and Kacee Allen)
The Jerusalem Post, reporting on Gofman’s Washington meetings, November 13, 2026 (via Axios reports)
Financial Times, reporting on Netanyahu’s near-daily calls to Trump (via Axios reports)
The Wall Street Journal, reporting on Vance weighing talks with Iran’s Mohsen Rezaei (via GlobalEye24)
CNN, Trump Sunday interview on further strikes (via Raydn)