Mossad Chief in Washington to Discuss Iran; Eisenkot Uninformed

The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Roman Gofman, traveled to the United States for talks with senior officials in President Donald Trump's administration regarding developments with Iran. The visit was not disclosed to Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yahad party, despite his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the previous day, which focused on security updates, primarily concerning Iran.

According to Israel's Channel 12, Eisenkot did not receive information about Gofman's upcoming trip to Washington, even though his two-hour meeting with Netanyahu covered the situation with Iran. The Mossad chief's visit aims to discuss confronting Tehran and the possibility of an attack on Iran with U.S. administration officials. This comes amid Israeli deliberations on the timing of any military action, and whether it should occur now or be postponed.

In Washington, Gofman met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe. It remains unclear if he will also meet President Trump. Gofman is also expected to travel to Miami to meet U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff. The visit occurs as Netanyahu pressures Trump to resume military action against Iran, though Trump has so far resisted, preferring economic pressure or a deal with Tehran.

Trump stated on Thursday that he could end the confrontation immediately but chose a longer, more moderate path at the request of countries he aims to protect, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain, who reportedly prefer maintaining the status quo due to Iran's perceived decline.

Within Israel, there are differing views on the timing of an attack on Iran. The Israeli military chief of staff reportedly holds a different position than Netanyahu, the Mossad chief, the National Security Advisor, the Shin Bet chief, and the Israeli Ambassador to Washington, all of whom believe the current time is suitable for action. The chief of staff, however, advocates for assessing any military operation in light of the army's strategic goals and institutional considerations, noting that Iran has not yet crossed red lines that would necessitate military intervention, despite ongoing Israeli concerns about its capabilities.

The report indicates that the disagreement within the security establishment centers on the timing of an attack, the necessity of coordination with the U.S., and avoiding unilateral action. The possibility of achieving Israeli objectives through non-military means is also being discussed.

Eisenkot had previously warned on social media against exploiting current security tensions for political aims, emphasizing that the security and domestic situation require strict oversight of the government during this sensitive transitional period. A source close to Eisenkot stated that he does not believe the current situation warrants an immediate military operation against Iran, nor one before a new Israeli government is formed.

Israeli opposition leaders reportedly fear Netanyahu might seek to initiate an attack on Iran or provoke Tehran into attacking Israel to undermine efforts to form a new government. Concurrently with Gofman's U.S. visit, the commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet visited Israel and met with the commander of the Israeli Navy as part of ongoing military communications between the two countries.