Despite Trump’s reservations… Israel plans a limited attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities

A senior Iranian official warned via Reuters that any Israeli attack would be met with a harsh and decisive response.

He added that Tehran has intelligence from reliable sources indicating serious Israeli plans to target Iranian nuclear sites.

Reuters reported on Saturday, citing Israeli and US sources, that Israel is still considering a limited attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in the coming months, despite US President Donald Trump’s recent statement to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States is not currently prepared to support such a move.

According to the report, senior Israeli officials still believe in the possibility of carrying out a limited attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, without requiring direct and full American support, as was the case in previous plans.

This development comes amid the resumption of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, a new round of which began at the Sultanate of Oman’s embassy in the Italian capital, Rome.

Reuters quoted Israeli officials as saying that any diplomatic negotiations with Iran must end with the complete dismantling of its nuclear program, a position Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized in direct messages to the Trump administration.

The report indicates that the White House had halted an Israeli plan to attack Iran last month, citing Washington’s desire to prioritize diplomatic efforts.

Over the past few months, Israel has presented the US administration with a series of alternatives and military plans to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, some of which were planned for late spring and summer.

The plans included a combination of airstrikes and commando operations, aimed at hindering Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon for a period that could extend for months or more than a year.

However, informed sources told Reuters that most of these plans required direct or indirect US support, whether in the form of intelligence coverage or military logistical support.

Despite Israel’s attempts to reduce its reliance on US support, the report warned that launching a military operation without prior coordination with Washington could harm Netanyahu’s relationship with Trump and could also impact the level of US support for Israel in its ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

According to Reuters, Israel has asked Washington for assistance in strengthening its air defenses in anticipation of any Iranian retaliatory attack should Israel carry out its plan.

In contrast, a senior Iranian official warned via Reuters that any Israeli attack would be met with a harsh and decisive response.

He added that Tehran has intelligence from reliable sources indicating serious Israeli plans to target Iranian nuclear sites.

The Iranian official believed that this escalation stems from Israel’s dissatisfaction with the diplomatic stalemate over the Iranian nuclear issue, as well as Netanyahu’s efforts to provoke an external crisis as a means of political survival.

In response to a Reuters inquiry, the US National Security Council referred the agency to previous statements by President Trump, in which he said he was not preventing Israel from attacking but was in no rush to support military action against Iran, indicating that he still favored dialogue and peaceful efforts.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Friday that Israel is facing a dilemma over whether it should act unilaterally against Iran while the United States negotiates a new nuclear agreement.

The Israeli channel indicated that the Americans want to exhaust their diplomatic efforts with Iran, while Israel fears that the agreement won’t protect all its interests in the Middle East, as Tel Aviv insists on the complete destruction of Iran’s military nuclear project.

It believes that a joint US or Israeli-US attack on Iran would be preferable, given the occupation army’s inability to launch the attack alone.

In a related context, Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Netanyahu had previously surprised Washington by requesting the deployment of ground forces into Iran, a matter that had not been taken into account.

The Americans were surprised when they heard Netanyahu demand something, they thought was unworkable, and they understood from the Israelis that they also believed this.

Senior US officials said, “We were surprised when we heard that he (Netanyahu) suddenly became less concerned about endangering soldiers deep in enemy territory”.

Netanyahu’s insistence on the presence of soldiers on Iranian soil may be because he believes that without a ground operation, he won’t go down in history as he dreams.