Mossad Chief Meets Trump Officials Amid Calls to Renew Iran War

The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Roman Gofman, visited Washington on Friday, November 13, to discuss the possibility of renewing military action against Iran with senior officials from the Trump administration. The visit was reportedly at the behest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been urging President Donald Trump to restart hostilities against the Iranian regime, according to Axios, citing three sources.

Gofman met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and was scheduled to travel to Miami to meet with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff had recently returned from Moscow, where he and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. The status of US-Iran negotiations remains unclear, though Israel believes the process is not entirely derailed.

President Trump recently stated that a deal with Iran is no longer necessary, asserting that the US already possesses Iran's funds and control over its waterways. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces are preparing for various scenarios concerning Iran, especially given the political stalemate in Israel and Republican losses in US midterm elections. The IDF would prefer to conduct any new military operation against Iran jointly with the United States and with broad political consensus in Israel, rather than during a transitional government period. However, defense officials note there is no immediate need for military action.

Intelligence assessments from both Israel and the US indicate that Iran does not currently possess weapons posing an existential threat to Israel, nor are there indications of practical development or production of such weapons. Despite past statements from Iranian officials about withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and pursuing nuclear weapons, and reports of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's decision to advance such a strategy, few practical steps have been taken. Military analysts believe the conflict with Iran has been postponed, not ended.

President Trump faces a decision between continuing economic sanctions, as advocated by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, or resuming military operations, a path recommended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper. This indicates differing approaches within the administration, ranging from economic pressure to renewed military engagement. In a related security development, Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have relocated to military facilities in the Washington area due to security concerns, including threats from drug cartels and potential Iranian retaliation.