Israel’s PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, decided to depart on April 6 for Washington after he received an invitation from US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu’s office said on April 5.

The duo will discuss Israel-Turkey relations among other agenda items, including the Trump tariffs issue, efforts to return Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the Iranian threat and the battle against the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to the statement.

“The Prime Minister appreciates the personal and warm ties with President Trump and thanks him for the invitation to be the first leader to meet with him following the imposition of global tariffs, just as he was the first leader to meet with him following his entering the White House,” the statement also added.

Prior to his trip to the US, Netanyahu was on April 3 in Hungary to visit PM Victor Orban.

Photographs: Netanyahu (@netanyahu) in Budapest with Orban (@PM_ViktorOrban).

Iran warns Turkey

Separately, an unnamed Iranian official on April 6 told Reuters that Iran was pushing back against the US demand that it choose between directly negotiating its nuclear programme or being bombed.

Iran has warned its neighbours that host US military bases that they could be in the firing line if they participate in some way in a US bombing campaign in the Islamic Republic.

The Islamic Republic has issued such warning notices to Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain. Any support for US bombing in Iran, including the use of their airspace or territory, would be considered an act of hostility, the unnamed official also said.

Turkey's foreign ministry told the news service that it was not aware of a warning from Iran. However, such messages can be delivered via other channels, the ministry added.

Last week, the Iranian media reported that Kuwait reassured Iran that it would not accept US demands to use its territory in bombing Iran.

To bomb or not to bomb

Iran’s religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meanwhile, ordered his armed forces to move to high alert following Trump’s latest threats to bomb the country.

An immediate bombing is actually not on the table as the parties are said to be currently discussing whether they will hold direct talks as Trump demands or whether they will hold indirect talks via Oman as the Iranians demand.

Having said that, nothing would be a surprise, including a bombardment order from Trump given due to disagreements on whether the talks should be held directly or indirectly.

Iran is the last prevailing threat in the Middle East to Israel following the fall of its Assad regime in December. Tehran still has some proxies in Yemen and Iraq.

Israel has, meanwhile, been cleaning up Iranian 'leftovers' in Syria and Lebanon stranded when Iran’s logistics lines were cut with the fall of Assad.

During any upcoming Iran operation, media coverage will include focus on the tensions and unending wars of words between Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Israel.