Netanyahu heads to US for regional talks with Trump amid mounting frustration with Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is travelling to Florida on Sunday for a high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump, according to a report.

The visit marks Netanyahu’s sixth encounter with Trump since January and comes as tensions in the region continue to simmer.

While the White House has not confirmed an exact meeting time, it is expected to take place on Monday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

Netanyahu’s trip comes as the Trump administration and regional mediators push to proceed to the second stage of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as it is moving slowly.

The timing of the meeting is "very significant", said Gershon Baskin, the co-head of the peacebuilding commission of the Alliance for Two States, who has taken part in back-channel negotiations with Hamas.

"Phase one is basically over, there's one remaining Israeli deceased hostage which they (Hamas) are having difficulty finding," he told AFP.

Phase two

Hamas and Israel allege frequent ceasefire violations and mediators fear that Israel and Hamas alike are stalling.

Phase two would see Israel withdraw from key positions in Gaza, an interim Palestinian authority take over, and an International Stabilisation Force deployed.

Hamas is expected to lay down its weapons—a major sticking point in the process.

US-based news outlet Axios reported, citing White House officials, that the talks could pave the way for a Palestinian technocratic government in Gaza and the deployment of the ISF.

It also reported that senior Trump officials were growing exasperated "as Netanyahu has taken steps to undermine the fragile ceasefire and stall the peace process".

"There are more and more signs that the American administration is getting frustrated with Netanyahu," said Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at London-based think-tank Chatham House.

"The question is what it's going to do about it," he added, "because phase two is right now going nowhere."

Observers warn that any stalling could undermine regional stability and weaken international confidence in US-led mediation efforts.

Iran, Lebanon and Syria

Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Wednesday that other key topics include Iran’s missile programme, Israel-Syria security arrangements, and Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon.

Netanyahu has threatened Iran with "a very severe response" if it carries out any military attack against Tel Aviv.

"Any action against Israel will be met with a very severe response," Netanyahu said.

Tension has escalated between Israel and Iran in recent days amid Israeli accusations for Tehran of accelerating the production of ballistic missiles.

Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Tehran on June 13, targeting military, nuclear and civilian sites as well as senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.

Separately, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024 following more than a year of cross-border hostilities which left more than 4,000 people dead and 17,000 injured.

The conflict was linked to Tel Aviv’s genocidal war on Gaza that started in October 2023.

Despite the truce, Israel has carried out nearly 700 air strikes across Lebanese territory since November 27, killing at least 340 people and wounding over 940 others, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israeli forces have carried out near-daily incursions in southern Syria in recent weeks, particularly in Quneitra province, conducting arrests, setting up checkpoints, and destroying forested areas, actions that have fuelled growing local anger toward Israel.

Syrian government data shows that since December 2024, Israel has carried out over 1,000 air strikes on Syria and more than 400 cross-border raids into the southern provinces.