By Erin Banco
NEW YORK (WARNEWS) — Despite President Donald Trump informing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. currently does not intend to back such action, Israel hasn’t dismissed the possibility of striking Iran’s nuclear sites over the next few months. This information comes from an Israeli official along with two others who have knowledge of these discussions.
Israeli authorities have pledged to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and Netanyahu has emphasized that any talks with Iran should result in the total disassembly of its nuclear capabilities.
The U.S. and Iranian delegates are scheduled to engage in a second round of initial nuclear discussions in Rome this coming Saturday.
In recent months, Israel has presented several potential strategies to strike Iranian sites to the Trump administration. These proposals included actions scheduled for late spring and summer, according to sources. The suggested approaches encompass a range of military tactics such as air strikes and special forces missions that differ in intensity; these measures have the potential to delay Iran’s development of nuclear weapons by anywhere from mere months up to a couple of years, the sources indicated.
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Trump told Netanyahu in a White House meeting earlier this month that Washington wanted to prioritize diplomatic talks with Tehran and that he was unwilling to support a strike on the country’s nuclear facilities in the short term.
However, Israeli authorities currently think they might carry out a more constrained assault on Iran that would demand minimal backing from the U.S. This operation would be considerably narrower compared to what Israel originally suggested.
It remains uncertain whether or when Israel might proceed with such an attack, particularly as negotiations for a nuclear agreement are beginning. Taking this action could potentially estrange Trump and may endanger wider American backing for Israel.
Parts of the plans were previously presented last year to the Biden administration, two former senior Biden administration officials told WARNEWS. Almost all required significant U.S. support via direct military intervention or intelligence sharing. Israel has also requested that Washington help Israel defend itself should Iran retaliate.
Following a request for commentary, the U.S. National Security Council pointed towards remarks made by Trump on Thursday. He informed journalists that he had not discouraged Israel from attacking but emphasized that he wasn’t “eager” to endorse military operations against Tehran.
I believe Iran has the potential to become a wonderful nation and enjoy a happy life free from death,” Trump stated. “This is my top choice. Should a secondary option arise, I fear it could turn out quite poorly for Iran. However, I sense that Iran might be open to discussions.
The office of the Israeli Prime Minister did not provide an immediate response to requests for comments. According to a high-ranking Israeli official speaking to WARNEWS, no decisions have been reached regarding a potential strike on Iran as of now.
A high-ranking Iranian security officer stated that Tehran was informed about Israel’s plans and warned that such an assault would result in “an intense and unyielding reaction from Iran.”
“We have intelligence from reliable sources that Israel is planning a major attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. This stems from dissatisfaction with ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program, and also from Netanyahu’s need for conflict as a means of political survival,” the official told WARNEWS.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PUSHBACK
When Netanyahu presented an earlier iteration of his plan, he faced opposition from the Biden administration. According to former high-ranking officials within the Biden administration, Netanyahu sought for the U.S. to spearhead any airstrike efforts; however, the Biden White House informed Israel that they deemed such action unwarranted unless Iran took steps to increase its uranium enrichment activities or remove international inspectors from the nation.
Biden’s officials likewise raised doubts about how effectively Israel’s military could conduct such an operation.
Former officials and experts have consistently maintained that for Israel to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—including stockpiled materials housed in underground sites—it would require considerable U.S. military backing as well as weaponry.
Although the smaller-scale military action that Israel is contemplating might necessitate minimal direct support—especially in terms of U.S. aircraft deploying precision-guided bombs capable of penetrating deep underground structures—it would still be essential for Jerusalem to have assurance from Washington that it will aid Israel’s defense should Iran retaliate, according to these individuals.
Any attack would carry risks. Military and nuclear experts say that even with massive firepower, a strike would probably only temporarily set back a program the West says aims to eventually produce a nuclear bomb, although Iran denies it.
In recent weeks, Israeli authorities have informed Washington that they feel U.S. negotiations with Iran shouldn’t progress to the bargaining phase unless there’s assurance that Tehran won’t be capable of developing a nuclear weapon.
Netanyahu stated after meeting with Trump that this could be achieved through an accord, similar to how things get handled in Libya: going in, destroying the facilities, taking apart all the machinery, and doing so under U.S. oversight. He also mentioned a secondary scenario where Iran might prolong negotiations, leading potentially to a military response as another course of action.
From Israel’s viewpoint, now might be an opportune time to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites.
Since the start of the Gaza conflict, Iran-backed groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have faced intense attacks from Israel. Additionally, the Houthi movement in Yemen has encountered U.S. airstrikes. In October 2024, Israel significantly degraded Iran’s air defenses during a confrontation.
An influential Israeli figure spoke to journalists earlier this month and acknowledged that time was of the essence if they aimed to carry out an attack prior to Iran fortifying its anti-aircraft capabilities. However, the high-ranking official declined to specify any potential timetable for such actions and argued that speculating about it would serve little purpose.
(Reporting by Erin Banco; Additional reporting by Parisa Hafesi in Dubai and the Jerusalem newsroom; Editing by Don Durfee and Daniel Wallis)
