Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to fly to Washington on Saturday night for the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, setting the stage for a potentially consequential meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump amid renewed regional warfare and mounting strategic decisions.

Netanyahu is scheduled to remain in the American capital through Tuesday, when Graham’s funeral will be held. Israeli officials are working to finalize a meeting with Trump, which is expected to take place early next week but has not yet been formally added to the president’s schedule.

The visit would be Netanyahu’s first official trip to Washington since the latest war with Iran and his first since meeting Trump in February. During a recent phone call marking America’s 250th Independence Day, the two leaders agreed to meet in the United States in the near future.

Although Graham’s funeral prompted the trip, the possible Trump-Netanyahu meeting could quickly become its most strategically significant element.

The United States has resumed strikes against Iranian military targets as Tehran attacks American forces, allied states and commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz. Washington and Jerusalem are also navigating decisions surrounding Iran’s remaining missile and nuclear capabilities, Israel’s security presence in Lebanon and Syria, and the future shape of the regional campaign against Iran-backed forces.

Any meeting would therefore offer Netanyahu an opportunity to coordinate directly with Trump as both countries determine whether the widening confrontation with Tehran will end through a new agreement or escalate into a more extensive military campaign.

The trip will also carry deep personal significance following Graham’s sudden death at 71. A preliminary medical report attributed his death to an aortic tear. Graham served in Congress for more than three decades and became one of Israel’s most outspoken and dependable defenders in Washington.

He repeatedly demanded that Israel receive the weapons and diplomatic backing needed to defeat Hamas after the Oct. 7 massacre. Graham also championed aggressive action against Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile and terrorist proxy networks, becoming a rare bridge between Trump’s “America First” movement and the traditional Republican commitment to an assertive American role overseas.

Netanyahu mourned Graham as a leader who understood that American and Israeli security were inseparable.

“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Netanyahu said.

Graham’s death removes one of Israel’s most influential allies from the Senate at a moment when parts of both major American parties are questioning longstanding U.S. commitments abroad. Netanyahu’s presence at the funeral will honor that alliance, but his expected talks with Trump may help determine how the partnership Graham defended will confront its next major test.