Washington allegedly obtained new intelligence suggesting ongoing preparations for such an attack
The chance of an Israeli military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities “has gone up significantly” in recent months, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing multiple US officials familiar with new intelligence assessments.
While Israeli leadership has not made a final decision, recently intercepted communications suggest that planning is actively underway, unnamed sources told the network. US intelligence has also noted Israeli military activities, including the movement of air munitions and the completion of air exercises, which could indicate preparations for an “imminent strike.”
Several officials acknowledged that these actions might serve as a strategic signal to Iran, aiming to pressure Tehran into concessions during ongoing negotiations with Washington. However, one source cited by CNN warned that “the prospect of a Trump-negotiated US-Iran deal that doesn’t remove all of Iran’s uranium makes the chance of a strike more likely.”
US President Donald Trump tore up the 2015 UN-backed agreement on Iran’s nuclear program during his first term in office. He accused Tehran of secretly violating the deal and reimposed sanctions. Iran responded by rolling back its own compliance with the accord and accelerating its enrichment of uranium. Since returning to the White House, Trump has been pressuring Tehran into a new agreement and has even threatened to bomb Iran if a deal isn’t reached.
Iran and Israel exchanged strikes in April and October of last year, marking the most dramatic escalation between the regional rivals. Earlier this year, Israel reportedly proposed “an extensive bombing campaign” to knock out Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the New York Times, but Trump refused to back it, opting instead to pursue diplomacy. Since then, according to Reuters, Israel has considered a more “limited strike” that would require minimal US support.
Despite the belligerent rhetoric, the US and Iran have held several rounds of talks in Oman in recent months, described by both sides as constructive and productive. However, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, stated last week that while Washington wants to resolve the standoff with Iran diplomatically, it has “one very, very clear red line… We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability.”
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60% purity, far above the 3.67% cap set under the now-defunct nuclear deal and close to the 90% needed for weapons-grade material. While US and Israeli officials have for years warned that Tehran is just weeks away from a nuclear breakthrough, Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and not aimed at producing a bomb.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the US demand to fully dismantle its nuclear facilities as “unrealistic,” saying Tehran would continue enriching uranium with or without a deal. He also suggested that some statements by US officials are “completely detached from the reality of negotiations.”