Netanyahu to Brief Trump on New Military Options Amid Concerns of Iran’s Missile Resurgence

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Israeli officials are preparing to present President Donald Trump with updated plans for potential military strikes on Iran, driven by intelligence suggesting Tehran is aggressively expanding its ballistic missile production and reconstituting nuclear facilities damaged in U.S.-led bombings earlier this year.

According to extensive reporting by NBC News and The Times of Israel, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to brief President Trump later this month on the necessity of swift action to curb what Jerusalem views as a rapidly regenerating threat.

The high-level discussions, expected to take place at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, come as Israeli defense officials warn that without intervention, Iran’s production of ballistic missiles could swell to as many as 3,000 units per year, as detailed by NBC News.

The renewed urgency from Israel highlights a divergence between the Trump administration’s public declarations of victory over Iran’s strategic capabilities and the assessment of intelligence agencies on the ground.

While the White House has touted the success of "Operation Midnight Hammer"—a massive air campaign conducted in June that utilized B-2 bombers and heavy bunker-busting munitions—Israeli officials believe Tehran is already repairing the damage to its nuclear enrichment sites and air defense networks.

The Missile Threat vs. The Nuclear Threat

While Israel has long characterized a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, NBC News reports that Israeli officials currently view the expansion of the ballistic missile program as the more immediate peril.

The reasoning, according to sources briefed on the intelligence, is tactical: a robust missile arsenal serves as a defensive shield, allowing Iran to protect its nuclear sites more effectively while projecting power across the region through its network of proxies.

"The nuclear weapons program is very concerning. There’s an attempt to reconstitute. It’s not that immediate," a source with direct knowledge of Israel’s plans told NBC News.

Conversely, the source noted, "The threat of the missiles is very real, and we weren’t able to prevent them all last time."

This assessment stems from the 12-day war fought in June 2025.

According to The Times of Israel, that conflict saw the Islamic Republic launch over 500 ballistic missiles and approximately 1,100 drones at the Jewish state.

The barrage resulted in 36 missile impacts and one drone strike in populated areas, damaging 2,305 homes, two universities, and a hospital.

The attacks killed 32 people in Israel and wounded over 3,000, while displacing more than 13,000 residents.

Israeli officials fear that if Iran is permitted to reach a production capacity of 3,000 missiles annually, as reported by NBC News, the sheer volume of weaponry could overwhelm Israel’s air defense systems in a future conflict.

This arsenal would also serve as a potent deterrent against future Israeli preemptive strikes on nuclear facilities.

Options on the Table

During the upcoming meeting in Florida, Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to present President Trump with a menu of operational choices similar to those discussed prior to the June offensive.

According to NBC News, these options previously included Israel acting alone, Israel acting with limited U.S. support, a fully joint operation, or a U.S.-led assault.

In the previous engagement, President Trump ultimately approved a joint operation.

The U.S. role was critical in the final days of the June conflict, specifically for targeting underground nuclear facilities that required American-made 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs to penetrate.

However, the political landscape in Washington has shifted since the summer.

President Trump is currently weighing the possibility of opening a new front in Venezuela, with NBC News reporting that the administration is considering military strikes in the South American nation.

Furthermore, the U.U. President has been actively touting his administration’s success in "destroying" the Iran nuclear threat and negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

In an address to the nation on Wednesday, Trump declared that he had "brought for the first time in 3,000 years, peace to the Middle East."

This narrative of achieved stability could complicate Netanyahu’s efforts to convince the President of the need for a new round of major combat operations.

Divergent Assessments of Damage

A central point of friction in the upcoming talks may be the disparity in damage assessments regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, in a statement to NBC News, cited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Iranian government to corroborate the U.S. assessment that "Operation Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear capabilities."

"As President Trump has said, if Iran pursued a nuclear weapon, that site would be attacked and would be wiped out before they even got close," Kelly stated.

However, The Times of Israel reports that American and Israeli intelligence agencies have been more cautious in private, estimating that while the program was set back by years or months, it was not destroyed entirely.

Outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea offered a stark warning on Tuesday, stating that Iran "will break out as soon as it is allowed" and that Israel bears the responsibility to ensure the "gravely damaged" project is never reactivated.

NBC News sources corroborate this, noting that Israeli officials are concerned Iran is actively rebuilding the specific facilities bombed in June.

Additionally, NBC News wrote that Israeli strikes in “April and October 2024 reportedly damaged all of Iran’s advanced S-300 air defense systems,” but there are now fears that Tehran is prioritizing the repair of these defensive networks to shield its reconstruction efforts.

Diplomatic and Regional Complexities

The geopolitical environment is further complicated by signals from Tehran expressing interest in resuming diplomatic talks with the United States.

NBC News reported that these overtures could make the White House hesitant to authorize new strikes.

President Trump offered a mixed message last week, hinting he might be open to talks but warning Iran that if they attempt to rebuild their arsenal without a deal, "we’re going to obliterate that one, too."

Adding to the complexity is the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

NBC News cited two former Israeli officials who suggested that Trump might be less enthusiastic about new military action against Iran if there continues to be friction between Washington and Jerusalem regarding the implementation of the Gaza truce.

Under the current phase of that deal, Israel is expected to withdraw forces and allow an interim body to assume authority in the enclave—a process that has faced delays and mutual accusations of non-compliance.

The Times of Israel noted that during the previous war in June, Israel claimed Iran had taken steps toward weaponization, justifying the preemptive assault. Tehran contended that over 1,000 people were killed by Israeli strikes during that conflict.

As Netanyahu prepares for his trip to Washington, the stakes for the bilateral meeting are high.

The Israeli premier must navigate Mr. Trump’s desire to pivot to other foreign policy priorities, such as Venezuela, while convincing him that the victory declared in June was incomplete.

With Iranian proxies continuing to receive funding and arms, and with the specter of a mass-produced ballistic missile arsenal looming, Israeli officials view the current window as critical.

As one former Israeli official told NBC News regarding the missile threat: "There is no real question after the last conflict that we can gain aerial superiority... But the threat of the missiles is very real."