The US president Joe Biden's plane, Air Force One, touched down just before 11 a.m. (0800 UTC) at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.
Descending from the plane amid a large security contingent, Biden embraced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Under unusually tight security even for the US president, they spoke for a short time before departing in a convoy.
"Welcome, Mr. President. God bless you for protecting the nation of Israel," Herzog's office quoted him as telling Biden.
Hundreds of armed police and troops have been stationed around the seafront Tel Aviv hotel where Netanyahu and Biden are holding talks.
Tel Aviv is only 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, from which the devastating October 7 attack was launched.
