IDF chief made secret Washington visit as Iran threat escalates

Israeli media is now reporting that Zamir made a surprise visit to the United States as part of those talks, accompanied by a small group of senior IDF officers.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel and the United States are intensifying senior-level military coordination as Washington weighs possible action against Iran, with Israeli officials emphasizing that Tehran’s expanding missile capabilities now pose a threat on par with its nuclear program.

According to Kan News, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held intensive discussions over the weekend with senior American officials amid U.S. preparations for a potential strike on Iran.

Israeli media later reported that Zamir made a surprise visit to the United States as part of those talks, accompanied by a small group of senior IDF officers.

Israeli officials expect the close coordination to continue and say they anticipate advance notice from Washington should military action move forward, allowing time for operational readiness and public messaging.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran is “talking seriously” about a possible deal, even as the United States continues to deploy major military assets to the region. He reiterated that any agreement must eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability, while confirming that a large U.S. fleet is already moving into position.

Israeli security officials warn that the threat from Iran extends beyond the nuclear issue. Senior defense sources say Tehran has significantly expanded its missile array since recent fighting and is now capable of launching large, coordinated salvos.

Any effective response, they argue, would need to target both Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and its missile launch systems. “Israel cannot live with the Iranian missile threat,” one official said.

The stepped-up coordination follows a visit last week by Israeli Military Intelligence chief Shlomi Binder to Washington, where he met with senior officials at the Pentagon, the CIA, and the White House.

According to Ynet, the talks focused heavily on air superiority over Iran, drawing on lessons from Operation “Rising Lion,” during which Israel said it achieved air dominance over parts of western Iran within 48 hours. The report said U.S. officials were impressed by Israel’s planning and intelligence capabilities, viewing the visit as pivotal to deepening coordination as tensions mount.

The developments also follow last weekend’s visit to Israel by U.S. Central Command chief Brad Cooper, who met with Zamir. Kan said the discussions focused on defensive preparations in the event a U.S. strike on Iran triggers ballistic missile fire toward Israel, underscoring the growing emphasis on joint readiness.

CENTCOMEyal Zamiriran missile attacksUS-Israel