US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Tel Aviv on the evening of February 15, marking his first visit to the Middle East since taking office, as negotiations continue for the release of six remaining hostages and to tackle Iran's influence in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and  Rubio presented a unified stance on February 16 against Iran's nuclear ambitions during talks in Jerusalem, with both leaders stressing that Tehran must never acquire nuclear weapons.

"Israel and America stand shoulder to shoulder in countering the threat of Iran. We agree that the Ayatollahs must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said during a joint press briefing following their meeting.

The talks, which marked Rubio's first stop on his Middle East tour, came a day after Hamas released three Israeli hostages in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners, the sixth such swap under the current ceasefire.

Rubio, characterising Iran as "the single greatest source of instability in the region," underscored the US position. "There can never be a nuclear Iran, a nuclear Iran that could then hold itself immune from pressure and action. That can never happen," he said.

Netanyahu praised former US President Donald Trump at the start of the briefing, describing him as "the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House." The two leaders discussed Trump's proposal for Gaza's future development, which Netanyahu said he was "committed to ensuring becomes a reality."

The US Secretary of State also said: "Hamas cannot continue as a military or a government force... they must be eliminated."

The next phase of ceasefire negotiations, aimed at securing the release of remaining hostages and discussing terms for ending the war, is scheduled to begin next week in Doha, according to diplomatic sources.

“Without speaking out of turn, I'm confident in saying that President Trump's administration will continue to be perhaps the most pro-Israel administration in American history,” Rubio stated to reporters in January during a press briefing, setting the tone for his diplomatic approach.

The visit occurs amid heightened tensions, with President Trump declaring earlier in the day that the US would support any decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if hostages weren't returned by 7 p.m. Israel Standard Time. This statement preceded the release of Israeli hostages Alexander Sasha Troufanov, Sagui Dekel Chen, and Iair Horn.

Rubio's Middle East tour includes stops at the Munich Security Conference, followed by his ongoing visit to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia from February 13-18. The Secretary of State has aligned his policies with Trump's “America First” campaign promises since beginning his term.

In a recent SiriusXM Patriot interview, Rubio endorsed Trump's controversial Gaza rehabilitation plan, addressing the practical challenges of reconstruction. “Someone's got to go in – for anybody to be able to live there, someone's got to – you've got to clean it up,” he stated during the interview.