Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington on July 27 for White House talks with President Donald Trump and to attend Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral, as the US-Iran war pushes oil past $95 and disrupts two global energy chokepoints.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet President Donald Trump at the White House on July 28 and attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, his office said, as the US-Iran war enters its 11th straight night of strikes with oil above $95 a barrel.
"Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend," Netanyahu posted on social media after Graham's death on July 11, reflecting the close bond between the two allies.
The visit comes as the US has widened its bombing campaign against Iran, striking a military site near Tabriz for the first time and activating air defenses over Tehran early Wednesday, Iranian media reported. The Pentagon estimates the war has cost $37.5 billion so far, with 18 US service members killed and more than 450 wounded. Oil prices have surged 30% this month to $95 a barrel, the highest since early June, as Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz — which handles about 21% of global oil trade — combines with a new Houthi-declared naval blockade on Saudi Arabia to threaten supply routes.
The visit's overlap with Graham's July 28 Washington memorial — where world leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Netanyahu are expected — highlights the diplomatic stakes. Trump has threatened to "bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant" each time Iran targets a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran's parliamentary speaker warned "no infrastructure will be safe" if Tehran's security is not ensured, setting the stage for potential escalation during Netanyahu's visit.
The Graham Connection
Lindsey Graham, who died July 11 at age 71 from a ruptured aorta, served as one of Israel's strongest advocates in the US Senate. Netanyahu's attendance at the July 28 memorial in Washington — followed by services July 29 in Columbia and Pickens County, South Carolina — reflects a relationship built over Graham's 22 years in the Senate. The senator's sister, Darline Graham, has been appointed to fill his seat through January, with Trump encouraging her to seek the full term.
Diplomacy Amid Conflict
Netanyahu's White House meeting comes as the US and Iran remain far from negotiations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Manila on Wednesday that Tehran is "not serious about talks," while Iran's interior minister visited mediator Pakistan without progress. The last US-Iran ceasefire, signed in June, unraveled as both sides resumed hostilities.
The conflict has reshaped global energy markets. Brent crude at $95 has pushed wholesale electricity prices 42% higher year-on-year in some economies, according to data from Ireland's Central Statistics Office. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has expanded no-fly warnings to include Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and the Gulf of Oman through August 31.
The last time a US administration faced simultaneous disruptions at both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb strait was during the 2019 tanker attacks, when oil prices spiked 15% in two weeks before stabilizing. The current crisis has already exceeded that duration, with no diplomatic resolution in sight.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
