Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit, likely delaying any timetable for a U.S. strike on Iran.
Modi was greeted on the tarmac by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. The three embraced and exchanged warm greetings.
The meeting has a much larger significance outside of India-Israel relations, however. Washington and Jerusalem are unlikely to strike Iran while another head of state is visiting the central target of Iranian retaliation, let alone the head of a country as important as India.
After a private meeting at the airport, Modi is set to travel to Jerusalem, where he will address the Knesset. His visit is scheduled to last around 48 hours before departing back to India. A U.S. strike on Iran could lead to a retaliatory mission targeting Israel, so it is unlikely to be ordered while another world leader is visiting the Jewish state. If military leaders are taking this into consideration as expected, the earliest a strike on Iran could occur is Friday.
Modi’s visit comes as the United States has amassed one of its largest assemblies of air and naval power since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In total, nearly half of U.S. air power and a third of its naval power is situated within striking range of Iran. The logistical effort needed to sustain such a massive buildup suggests President Donald Trump will decide to strike Iran or pull back soon.
Speculation was rife about what Trump would say about Iran during his first State of the Union address, but his comments were relatively brief. He warned that Iran was developing new missiles “that will soon reach the U.S.,” something he vowed he would never allow to happen.
“We are in negotiations with them, and they want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words — we will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
“My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the number one state sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon. And no nation should ever doubt America’s resolve,” he added.
Talks between Washington and Tehran are due to resume on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland.
