IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir made a secret visit over the weekend to meet with senior US defense officials in Washington to present sensitive intelligence, discuss military options against Iran, and seek to influence the diplomatic negotiations between the Trump administration and Tehran.
The IDF chief described recent intelligence indicating the Islamic Republic's progress in rebuilding its military capabilities.
Zamir was especially focused on those meetings and in recent IDF discussions on increased conventional ballistic missile production.
Although Iran has not quite returned to the 2,500-missile level it was at in June 2025, it is getting closer to that point after being reduced by around half.
Israel is concerned that the Trump administration may reach a deal with Tehran regarding freezing uranium enrichment, but without fully addressing the ballistic missile threat.
This has been a concern of Zamir's since Operation Rising Lion, which wiped out most of Iran's nuclear program, but only about half of the ballistic missile threat.
In fact, the IDF chief may find a deal which Trump might seal with the ayatollahs even more problematic than past deals, as this US president, if there is a deal, might be more aggressive in enforcing limitations on attacking the ballistic missile program in Jerusalem.
Zamir insist US can let Iran keep its enriched uranium
While in DC, Zamir also emphasized the dangers entailed in any situation where the US might allow Iran to retain its around 400 kilograms of enriched uranium as well as large volumes of 20% enriched uranium.
Various think tanks have estimated this already enriched uranium to be potentially enough for around 9-10 nuclear weapons, if weaponized.
There are concerns in Israel that Trump might agree to accepting an Iranian freeze on uranium enrichment, while allowing them to keep the already enriched uranium.
In some ways, uranium enrichment would keep the Islamic Republic a significant distance from being able to produce even a single nuclear weapon.
On the other hand, with so much enriched uranium, if it happened to succeed in opening a new secret uranium enrichment facility, it might be able to convert that already enriched uranium on a rapid basis with much fewer centrifuges than the 20,000 or so which Israel and the US may have destroyed in June.
Katz holds meeting with Zamir following return to Israel
Defense Minister Israel Katz held a meeting with Zamir following his return to Israel, the minister's office confirmed on Sunday.
The two defense officials discussed "the assessment of the regional situation and the IDF's operational readiness for any scenario," as well as "other topics," Katz's office added.
James Genn contributed to this report.