WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) – The Trump administration is hosting senior defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia for separate talks on Iran this week in Washington as U.S. President Donald Trump considers military strikes, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Tensions have escalated amid a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or face a U.S. attack, drawing a threat from Tehran to strike back hard.
Israel’s military intelligence chief, General Shlomi Binder, held talks on Iran with senior officials at the Pentagon, the CIA and the White House on Tuesday and Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter said. Axios reported that he shared intelligence on possible Iranian targets.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman was also in Washington for meetings with U.S. officials focused on Iran, according to a second source familiar with the discussions. The Saudis and other Gulf states have sought to de-escalate the situation and prevent a wider war.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran, state news agency SPA reported this week.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump is weighing options against Iran that include targeted strikes on security forces and leaders to inspire protesters, multiple sources said, even as Israeli and Arab officials said air power alone would not topple the clerical rulers.
Trump has not made a final decision on a course of action, including whether to take the military path, one of the sources and a U.S. official said.
(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington, Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Alex Richardson, Alison Williams, Rod Nickel)
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