Top Israeli General Makes Secret Pentagon Visit Amid Concerns Over US–Iran Diplomacy
Tel Aviv fears Washington may pursue a limited deal with Tehran while escalating military pressure in West Asia
Iran | PUREWILAYAH.COM - A senior Israeli military delegation led by Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, carried out a secret visit to Washington over the weekend, amid rising tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and an expanding US military buildup in West Asia.
The unannounced trip, first reported by Israeli and US media outlets, underscores deep unease in West Jerusalem over the possibility that Washington—under Donald Trump—may reach a diplomatic arrangement with Tehran that falls short of Israeli demands for confrontation and coercion.
Closed-Door Meetings at the Pentagon
According to multiple reports, Zamir met with Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with other senior Pentagon officials.
Israeli sources say the delegation presented what it described as “sensitive intelligence,” discussed potential military scenarios against Iran, and sought to influence ongoing diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran—talks that Israel views with suspicion and hostility.
The secrecy surrounding the visit reflects Tel Aviv’s awareness that its aggressive posture toward Iran enjoys limited international legitimacy and faces resistance even among US policymakers wary of another catastrophic regional war.
Israeli Anxiety Over a Limited US–Iran Deal
Israeli officials are reportedly concerned that Trump could settle for a narrow agreement focused on freezing uranium enrichment, while leaving Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities intact and refraining from authorizing direct military action.
Such an outcome would represent a strategic setback for Israel, which has long pushed Washington toward confrontation and has repeatedly attempted—through lobbying, intelligence pressure, and media narratives—to portray Iran as an imminent threat.
For Tehran, however, its missile program remains non-negotiable, rooted in legitimate self-defense needs after decades of sanctions, sabotage, and military threats.
Expanded US Military Deployment in West Asia
Despite publicly stating a preference for diplomacy, Washington has significantly expanded its military presence in the region. The US has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, additional guided-missile destroyers, and advanced air defense systems.
US officials have framed the deployments as deterrence measures, while refraining from clarifying whether they are linked to potential military action.
Israeli media reports indicate that even senior officials in Washington and Tel Aviv remain uncertain about whether the current US posture is intended to support negotiations or prepare for escalation.
Following Zamir’s return, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz met with the military chief in Tel Aviv to review what Katz’s office described as operational readiness “for any possible scenario.”
Israeli assessments reportedly acknowledge that any US strike on Iran would likely provoke retaliation, potentially drawing Israel directly into a wider regional confrontation.
US officials claim that Washington is not seeking to destabilize the Iranian regime. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have consistently maintained that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful, operates within the framework of international law, and that indirect diplomatic exchanges through intermediaries are ongoing.
Tehran has repeatedly stressed that negotiations conducted under military pressure lack credibility, while reiterating that its defensive capabilities, including missile systems, are not subject to external dictates.. (PW)