US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the United States next week, as US forces continue to attack parts of Iran after peace talks failed despite weeks of talks and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.Trump made the remarks while speaking at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Friday.Netanyahu and Trump agreed to meet in the United States after speaking by phone several weeks ago. During the call, Netanyahu congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and praised the close relations between the two countries. Earlier this month, the ceasefire agreement reached in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the United States and Iran collapsed, leading to another escalation of the war between the United States and Israel.Israel has opposed the deal from the start, and its ongoing military operations in Lebanon have repeatedly threatened diplomatic efforts in the region.The Trump administration has also been mediating separate talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at ending hostilities. The negotiations do not involve Hezbollah.Both sides have accepted a proposal under which Israeli-controlled areas of southern Lebanon would eventually be handed over to the Lebanese military. However, there has been little progress on the ground since March.In a meeting with Lebanese President Yosef Aoun earlier this week, Trump gave no indication of when Israeli troops would withdraw from the occupied areas.At the same time, the U.S. military said its Central Command had completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian targets.Iran has responded by continuing to launch attacks against U.S. military assets in the region. Last week, an attack on a U.S. base in Jordan killed three U.S. soldiers.The United States has also increased its military deployment in Israel, a move that some analysts believe could signal preparations for a broader regional escalation.Netanyahu’s visit will also come as Israel’s military campaign in Gaza continues. Despite announcing a U.S.-backed ceasefire last October, Israeli forces have continued to issue evacuation orders and conduct frequent attacks across the territory.
