Netanyahu to meet with Trump, attend Graham funeral as Iran conflict widens

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump in Washington next week as the widening U.S.-Israeli war with Iran fuels growing concerns about the conflict’s endgame.

Netanyahu will travel to Washington on Monday and meet with Trump at the White House, according to his office. He will also attend the funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a staunch supporter of Israel and leading advocate for confronting Tehran and its embattled nuclear program.

The meeting will mark the first face-to-face talks between Trump and Netanyahu since the conflict began in late February.

The U.S. and Iran, after a fragile ceasefire crumbled over a power struggle in the Strait of Hormuz, launched fresh tit-for-tat strikes earlier this month. The rising death toll among Americans, impact on global fuel prices and attacks from Houthi rebels in the Red Sea have raised fears of a broader regional war. 

Overnight, U.S. Central Command concluded its 13th consecutive day of strikes on military targets it claimed were used to stifle commercial shipping through the strait.

Trump is weighing additional military action as Republican defense hawks on Capitol Hill push........

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