Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to brief U.S. President Donald Trump next week at Mar-a-Lago on intelligence claiming Iran is accelerating its ballistic missile production program, according to a Saturday NBC report. Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive in Florida on the 27th, marking his fifth U.S. visit since Trump returned to office.
The report states that Netanyahu will present assessments suggesting Iran could boost production to as many as 3,000 missiles per year and will argue the program poses a direct threat to U.S. interests. The Israeli leader is reportedly seeking either U.S. backing for an Israeli strike on Iranian infrastructure or direct American strikes.
Israeli media outlets citing intelligence sources have in recent weeks claimed Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities faster than anticipated following Israeli and U.S. strikes earlier this year. Analysts quoted in those reports say Tehran is prioritizing liquid-fuel missile production, which can be scaled more quickly despite being considered less advanced than solid-fuel systems.
Israeli officials may be emphasizing the missile threat to win Trump’s attention. U.S. officials continue to publicly assert that Iran’s nuclear program was effectively destroyed in the June 23 U.S. bombing campaign, despite satellite imagery and reporting indicating Tehran has been repairing damaged nuclear facilities. A narrative shift toward acknowledging renewed nuclear activity could undermine the administration’s prior messaging, making a missile-focused justification more politically feasible.
Netanyahu’s renewed push for military escalation may also reflect a tightening political calendar. U.S. midterm campaigns will begin in earnest after the holiday season, raising concerns within Israeli leadership that Trump and Republican lawmakers could become more hesitant to initiate a conflict with Iran. Polling earlier this year showed a majority of Republican voters oppose entering a new war with Iran, with fractures inside Trump’s base emerging after the June strikes—divisions the administration has struggled to mend.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly stated that they believe another war with Israel is inevitable. In recent weeks, Tehran has carried out a sweeping reshuffle of senior leadership within both the regular army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, moves analysts interpret as preparation for intensified confrontation.