Allied Intelligence — 2026-07-23

New Mossad Chief Holds First Washington Meetings With CIA Director and White House on Iran War

BLUFGofman's Washington visit signals Israel is positioning to press for a strike on Pickaxe Mountain by late August, though whether Trump authorizes action remains genuinely uncertain.

Mossad Director Roman Gofman traveled to Washington two weeks ago for talks on the Iran war and Iran's nuclear program, his first visit to the US capital since taking office in June, Axios reported citing two unidentified sources 1. Gofman, described as one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's closest advisers, met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House officials 12. An Israeli source told Axios one purpose of the visit was to coordinate with the White House on nuclear negotiations with Iran, and the trip preceded renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz 1. Axios reported Ratcliffe has been among the more pessimistic US officials regarding the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran, warning Tehran would interpret its terms differently than Washington does 1. Channel 14, an outlet Times of Israel notes has repeatedly been accused of violating IDF censor rules, separately reported that a "very important Israeli delegation" visited Washington around the same time to press President Trump on striking the Pickaxe Mountain site 3. The CIA and Mossad both declined to comment on the reported meetings 1.

Analysis
Mossad chief Roman Gofman's first Washington visit as director, weeks ahead of renewed Strait of Hormuz fighting, points to Israel working both military and diplomatic tracks toward Iran simultaneously rather than choosing between them, though the visit may equally reflect routine liaison introductions for a newly seated chief. Whether a US or Israeli strike on Pickaxe Mountain follows by August 22 remains genuinely uncertain, turning on whether Trump concludes diplomacy has run its course; a strike would force US Gulf forces onto heightened alert and speed Iranian countermeasures at the site, while continued restraint keeps the nuclear talks track open. The episode sits alongside a separate Reuters investigation into Russian targeting assistance in the March strikes on CIA facilities, which could sharpen Israeli arguments for preemption if attribution holds. Confidence is low: Axios supplies the sole original account from unidentified sources, other outlets merely republish it, and the Channel 14 Pickaxe Mountain claim comes from an outlet with documented censor-violation issues.
4 sources
  1. New Mossad director met with CIA chief on Iran - Axios
  2. New Mossad chief meets CIA director for talks on Iran war, nuclear program - The Jerusalem Post
  3. Reports: Mossad chief held talks in Washington on Iran war targets - The Times of Israel
  4. Israel spy chief held talks on Iran war in Washington, Axios reports - Middle East Eye

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