The disagreements emerged as the United States pursued an agreement with Iran aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy shipments. Netanyahu reportedly argued for maintaining pressure on Tehran and expressed skepticism about the durability and enforceability of any negotiated settlement.

According to the report, Israeli officials were surprised by Washington’s decision to move toward a diplomatic framework with Iran after months of military confrontation and coordinated efforts to contain Tehran’s regional influence.

During a series of conversations, Netanyahu questioned whether Iran could be trusted to adhere to any agreement and warned against easing pressure on its leadership. Trump, meanwhile, focused increasingly on preventing a broader regional war and minimizing the economic consequences of continued conflict, particularly disruptions to energy markets and maritime trade.

Differences between the two leaders also extended to Lebanon, where Trump reportedly objected to Israeli military operations that could jeopardize ongoing ceasefire initiatives.

The Washington Post reported that exchanges between the leaders became increasingly strained as Trump challenged the strategic value of certain military actions and urged greater restraint in order to preserve diplomatic momentum.

The tensions mark a significant departure from the close alignment that characterized much of the conflict. Throughout the war, Netanyahu had advocated a more aggressive approach toward Iran, presenting intelligence assessments and military proposals while encouraging stronger U.S. involvement.

Trump initially supported many of those objectives and maintained close oversight of developments on the battlefield. However, the report said he later rejected options that could have expanded direct American involvement or prolonged the conflict.

The evolving relationship reflects broader debates within Washington over how best to balance military deterrence with diplomatic engagement in the Middle East.

According to the report, Trump increasingly sought alternative assessments from advisers after discussions with Netanyahu, while some officials within the administration questioned whether domestic political considerations in Israel were influencing decisions related to military operations and regional diplomacy.

Despite the disagreements, the United States and Israel continue to maintain extensive security cooperation. Military coordination between the two countries reportedly expanded significantly during the conflict, with officials describing the level of operational collaboration as unprecedented.

Netanyahu has cultivated a close working relationship with Trump over the past year through frequent visits, regular consultations and public displays of solidarity. However, the latest differences suggest that diverging priorities over Iran, Lebanon and regional stabilization efforts are placing new strains on one of the Middle East’s most consequential strategic partnerships.

The reported disputes come at a critical moment as negotiators seek to transform the U.S.-Iran ceasefire arrangement into a broader settlement while international actors push for a durable ceasefire in Lebanon and greater regional stability.

Speaking at a news conference in Taipei following her return, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT) said meetings with U.S. lawmakers, government officials, policy experts and supporters had been positive and encouraging. She did not disclose specific outcomes or agreements resulting from the trip.

“Our meetings with the U.S. side were very positive,” Cheng said, adding that many discussions with members of the administration were confidential.

The visit came as the KMT faces scrutiny over its role in blocking a Taiwanese government proposal to allocate nearly $40 billion for military procurement, including U.S.-supplied weapons systems and domestically manufactured drones.

Cheng rejected reports suggesting she had been unable to secure meetings with senior U.S. security officials and said American interlocutors demonstrated strong understanding of the party’s positions, including its support for military cooperation with Washington and efforts to enhance Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

The KMT leader said her party remained committed to strengthening Taiwan’s security while pursuing policies aimed at reducing tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Political analysts questioned the significance of the visit, noting the absence of publicly announced high-level meetings. Wen-Ti Sung, a political analyst at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, described Cheng’s reception in Washington as relatively restrained.

“Judging by public information, Cheng did not even get to meet working-level officials at, say, Assistant Secretary level — let alone further up the hierarchy,” Sung said. He added that the limited disclosure surrounding the meetings could indicate lingering reservations among U.S. officials.

Cheng has emerged as one of the most influential figures in Taiwanese politics since unexpectedly assuming leadership of the KMT last year. Her advocacy of closer engagement with China has attracted criticism from opponents who argue that such positions risk undermining Taiwan’s security interests.

The KMT has historically favored stronger ties with Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly stated it reserves the right to use force to bring the island under its control.

The U.S. trip followed Cheng’s visit to Beijing two months ago, during which she met Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking the first meeting between a KMT leader and the Chinese leader in a decade. The visit also came weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with Xi in the Chinese capital.

Although Washington shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, the United States remains Taiwan’s principal security partner and largest source of defensive military equipment.

Recent comments by President Trump suggesting that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could potentially be used as leverage in broader negotiations with China have heightened concern among policymakers and security analysts about the future trajectory of U.S.-Taiwan relations.

Sung said Cheng’s Washington visit appeared designed to demonstrate her ability to engage both Beijing and Washington while presenting herself as a credible foreign policy figure. He added that success in balancing those relationships could strengthen speculation about a potential bid for Taiwan’s presidency in 2028.

The statement issued Wednesday during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to Brussels described what it called “illegal military cooperation” between North Korea and Russia and urged third parties to stop supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

North Korea’s foreign ministry rejected the criticism, saying its cooperation with Russia constituted an “exercise of sovereign rights” and accusing Seoul and Brussels of issuing a “grave hostile act,” according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The EU–South Korea statement said: “We condemn support by third parties, in particular the DPRK, which enable Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Pyongyang separately reiterated its long-standing position that South Korea is its primary “enemy state” and accused Seoul of acting in line with Washington’s security strategy in the region.

The North Korean response also referenced recent remarks by a senior US military official in South Korea, which Pyongyang and Beijing previously criticized as reflecting US containment policy in Asia.

North Korea has deepened its alignment with Russia during the Ukraine conflict, including reports of weapons transfers and troop deployments, according to Western and South Korean intelligence assessments.

Kim Jong Un has expanded cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years, while also strengthening diplomatic engagement with China amid shifting regional alliances.

China and North Korea announced on Friday that Xi will make a state visit from Monday to Tuesday, where he is expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The visit comes as North Korea deepens military and political cooperation with Russia and a day after Pyongyang unveiled a new facility that South Korea’s military assessed as a uranium enrichment plant.Analysts say Beijing is seeking to reinforce its influence in North Korea as Kim expands ties with Moscow while continuing to advance his nuclear weapons program.

Xi and Kim last met in Beijing in September, where they pledged closer cooperation. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and key economic supporter despite international sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile activities.

The trip will be Xi’s first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years and highlights the strategic importance both countries place on maintaining close ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

The adjustment to the landmark defense agreement was announced on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and British Defence Secretary John Healey.

In a joint statement, the three ministers said the revised arrangement would simplify Australia’s acquisition process while reducing logistical and maintenance complexities.

“The deputy prime minister and secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia-class submarines, simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximizing cost efficiencies,” the statement said.

Under the revised plan, Australia will receive three operational Virginia-class submarines from the U.S. Navy rather than the previously anticipated mix of two used vessels and one newly built submarine.

The change reflects ongoing production challenges within the United States naval shipbuilding sector. The U.S. Navy currently operates 24 Virginia-class submarines, but American shipyards have struggled to achieve construction targets of two new submarines annually.

The AUKUS partnership, unveiled in 2021 by Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, is designed to strengthen security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarine capabilities for the first time.

The submarine program remains the centerpiece of Australia’s long-term defense strategy amid growing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. Government projections estimate the initiative could cost up to A$368 billion (US$235 billion) over three decades.

The revised arrangement may also help address concerns raised by some U.S. lawmakers and defense analysts who have questioned whether Washington should transfer advanced submarines to allies while facing pressure to expand its own naval fleet.

Officials from the three countries did not indicate any changes to the broader objectives of the AUKUS partnership, which also includes cooperation on advanced military technologies, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and undersea capabilities.

The announcement came as defense leaders from around 45 countries gathered in Singapore for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, where maritime security, military modernization and regional strategic competition dominated discussions.

Australia has argued that acquiring nuclear-powered submarines is essential to enhancing its long-range deterrence and operational capabilities in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific security environment.

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the operation targeted Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, whom he identified as the second-in-command of Daesh globally. Trump said the mission was conducted jointly with Nigerian forces following intelligence tracking the militant’s activities across Africa.

“Brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission,” Trump said, adding that Al-Minuki “will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.”Trump did not specify where the operation occurred or whether it involved airstrikes, ground forces or drone attacks.

Nigerian authorities had not immediately issued a public statement detailing the mission.The United States sanctioned Al-Minuki in 2023, identifying him as a senior Daesh figure based in the Sahel region and part of the organization’s General Directorate of Provinces, the administrative structure responsible for coordinating operations and financing across multiple regions.

According to the US State Department, Al-Minuki played a role in providing operational guidance and funding support for Daesh affiliates operating in Africa and beyond.Nigeria has faced escalating militant violence from regional branches linked to Daesh as well as rival Islamist group Boko Haram.

Nigerian security forces have also been engaged in operations against heavily armed criminal gangs known locally as “bandits.”Washington has increased military cooperation with Nigeria since late 2025 amid growing US concerns about the expansion of Islamist insurgencies across West Africa and the Sahel.

On Christmas Day last year, US and Nigerian forces conducted joint airstrikes in Sokoto State targeting fighters from the Islamic State in the Sahel Province, a Daesh affiliate active across parts of Niger and northwestern Nigeria.

Since then, hundreds of US personnel have reportedly been deployed to Nigeria to assist with intelligence sharing, military training and counterterrorism coordination.

Trump thanked the Nigerian government for what he described as its “partnership” in the latest operation, saying the removal of Al-Minuki had significantly weakened Daesh’s international network.

Speaking at the Tel Aviv Conference in Tel Aviv, Huckabee said Israel had assisted the UAE’s air defenses amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

“Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them,” Huckabee said, praising the UAE as the first Gulf state to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
The UAE did not immediately comment on Huckabee’s remarks.

The disclosure underscores increasingly open military coordination between Israel and Gulf Arab states that share concerns over Iran’s regional influence and missile capabilities.

Regional tensions remain elevated despite the current ceasefire, with concerns continuing over security in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route long viewed as vulnerable to disruption during confrontations involving Tehran.

Huckabee also expressed optimism that additional Middle Eastern countries could join the Abraham Accords, which established formal diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, including Bahrain.

The accords, brokered in 2020, reshaped regional alignments by fostering economic, diplomatic and security ties between Israel and Arab governments concerned about Iran’s expanding influence.

However, broader normalization efforts across the Arab world have been complicated by Israel’s military operations following the Hamas-led attacks in 2023 and the continuing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

Huckabee said Gulf governments increasingly viewed Iran, rather than Israel, as the more immediate regional security threat.

The meetings in Rome come amid strains between the United States and several European allies following criticism by Donald Trump over Europe’s reluctance to support the U.S. military campaign against Iran and disagreements over tariffs and defense commitments.

Rubio was also scheduled to hold talks with Antonio Tajani as part of a broader diplomatic effort to ease trans-Atlantic friction.

Italy has publicly opposed the war with Iran, with Meloni describing the conflict as “illegal” and criticizing Trump’s remarks directed at Pope Leo XIV. Trump in turn accused Meloni of failing to support Washington adequately during the conflict.

The dispute has complicated what had previously been viewed as one of Trump’s strongest relationships with a European leader.

Washington has also increased pressure on European allies over military burden-sharing and support for operations in the Middle East. The United States recently announced plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, while Trump has threatened additional reductions of American military deployments in Italy and Spain.

Italy hosts several strategically important U.S. and NATO facilities supporting operations across the Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa. Italian officials have expressed concern that troop reductions could weaken NATO’s southern flank.

Defense cooperation between Rome and Washington came under strain in March when Italy declined to authorize the use of the Sigonella air base in Sicily for U.S. bombing missions linked to the Iran conflict without parliamentary approval.

Under Italy’s constitution and existing treaty arrangements, military bases used within a NATO framework generally require additional authorization for offensive combat operations.

Meloni and Tajani have repeatedly stated that Italy will not participate directly in the Iran war and have insisted any request involving offensive use of Italian bases must receive parliamentary consent, where opposition to the conflict remains strong.

The war has also raised economic concerns for Italy, which depends heavily on energy imports and exports. Meloni has warned that instability in the Strait of Hormuz risks increasing energy prices and harming household purchasing power, while uncertainty surrounding possible U.S. tariffs has unsettled Italy’s export-oriented industries.

Rubio’s visit began on Thursday with meetings at the Vatican, including talks with Pope Leo XIV and Cardinal Pietro Parolin.According to the U.S. Department of State⁠, discussions focused on efforts to secure a lasting peace in the Middle East and reaffirmed the longstanding relationship between Washington and the Holy See.

The inauguration was held on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of what North Korea described as the end of an operation to “liberate” Russia’s Kursk border region, where North Korean troops were deployed to help repel a Ukrainian incursion, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim attended the ceremony alongside visiting Russian Defense Minister Andrei Beloussov and Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia’s State Duma, underscoring the growing importance of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

KCNA reported that Kim placed flowers before the remains of dead soldiers and participated in a burial ritual by throwing dirt over one coffin, describing the fallen troops as symbols of “the Korean people’s heroism.”In a speech carried by KCNA, Kim said the soldiers’ spirits would support “a victorious march by the Korean and Russian people” and praised joint operations for frustrating what he called a U.S.-led Western “hegemonic plot and military adventurism” on the Russia-Ukraine front.

North Korea and Russia publicly acknowledged in April 2025 that their forces had fought together in Kursk, a rare admission of direct North Korean military involvement in a foreign conflict.Neither government has disclosed the exact number of North Korean troops deployed.

South Korea’s intelligence service estimated last year that around 15,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia and roughly 2,000 were killed.In a separate meeting with Beloussov, Kim said North Korea would continue to fully support Russia’s efforts to defend its sovereignty and security interests, KCNA said.

Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Beloussov told Kim Moscow was prepared to sign a bilateral military cooperation plan covering the 2027–2031 period, signaling that security ties could deepen further beyond battlefield coordination.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a letter read aloud by Volodin during the ceremony, said the museum would serve as “a clear symbol of the friendship and solidarity” between the two countries and expressed confidence that their comprehensive strategic partnership would continue to strengthen, KCNA reported.

Since the start of the Ukraine war, Kim has increasingly prioritized relations with Moscow, supplying troops as well as conventional weapons, according to South Korean, U.S. and allied officials.

In return, analysts and Western governments believe Pyongyang has received economic assistance and could seek advanced Russian military technology, including systems that may strengthen its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.Military analysts say North Korean troops initially suffered heavy losses because of limited combat experience and unfamiliarity with modern drone warfare and battlefield conditions in the Kursk region.

However, Ukrainian military and intelligence officials have said the North Korean contingent gradually adapted and became an important element of Russia’s strategy of sustaining manpower pressure by deploying large numbers of troops in prolonged fighting.

The opening of the museum adds a symbolic domestic dimension to Pyongyang’s wartime support for Moscow, presenting the casualties as national sacrifice while reinforcing the political legitimacy of its expanding alignment with Russia.

The visit comes as Moscow and Pyongyang continue to strengthen military and diplomatic cooperation following their 2024 strategic defence pact.Earlier, North Korean state media KCNA reported that Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin had also arrived in Pyongyang to attend the opening ceremony of a newly built memorial honoring North Korean troops killed while fighting in the Ukraine war.

Belousov is expected to hold meetings with North Korea’s top leadership and participate in “ceremonial and commemorative events,” according to the Russian defence ministry.Separately, the Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marking the opening of the memorial.

Putin thanked Kim and North Korean soldiers for assisting Russia in repelling what Moscow described as a major Ukrainian incursion into the western Kursk region and said he was confident the two countries would continue strengthening their strategic partnership.

Russia and North Korea significantly expanded their relations after Kim and Putin met in June 2024 and signed a comprehensive strategic treaty that included a mutual defence clause.Since 2023, both countries have accelerated military exchanges and diplomatic coordination, drawing close international scrutiny over North Korea’s alleged military support for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

The memorial inauguration and Belousov’s visit underscore the growing public acknowledgment of North Korea’s role in the conflict and signal further institutional deepening of Moscow-Pyongyang security ties.