Upon arrival, Scholz condemned the Iranian strikes on Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed normalising ties with Saudi Arabia in talks with visiting White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Thursday, his office said.
Netanyahu, who returned to power last month with the formation of a new government, was also at the helm in 2020 when Israel established ties with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco as part of the Abraham Accords.
The Israeli premier has repeatedly expressed his desire to see Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, join the list.
In their talks, Netanyahu and Sullivan discussed "measures to deepen the Abraham Accords and expand the cycle of peace, with an emphasis on a breakthrough with Saudi," the Israeli leader's office said in a statement.
They also discussed joint efforts to curb Iran's nuclear programme and its regional activities, with Netanyahu thanking his American guest for President Joe Biden's commitment to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear arms, the statement said.
"You come at a special time because we have acute challenges to our security and vast opportunities for peace," Netanyahu said in televised remarks relayed by his office.
"I am convinced that by working together we can both meet the challenges and realise the opportunities," he said. "That's something that bolsters our extraordinary alliance but also can change the region and change history."
Netanyahu and Sullivan "also discussed Ukraine, as well as the burgeoning defence partnership between Russia and Iran and its implications for security in the Middle East," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
Sullivan's visit, the first by a senior US official since Netanyahu's new government was sworn in, also saw him meet President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday for talks about "ways to deepen the strategic cooperation", Herzog's office said.
Upon arrival, Scholz condemned the Iranian strikes on Israel
Police have named the assailant as 40-year-old itinerant man Joel Cauchi
Family expresses condolences to the victims
The airline has already suspended flights to and from Tehran until April 18
All flights at Egyptian airports are according to the usual schedules, except for some flights heading to countries that have closed their airspace, said the govt
Air India and Vistara have announced avoidance of Iranian airspace and are taking longer flight paths for their Europe and US operations
Israel has a multi-layered air defence system that has intercepted thousands of rockets since it first went into operation in 2011
Police said there was no evidence to suggest Joel Cauchi was 'driven by any particular motivation, ideology or otherwise'