Israel remains steadfast in its plans for limited strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

 

Despite President Donald Trump's lack of support, Israel has not backed down from its plan to launch a limited attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, a senior Israeli official and two other sources familiar with the matter confirmed.

The news agency Reuters reported on Sunday (20).

Israel has always declared that it will never allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also claimed that any talks with Iran will only be fruitful if its nuclear program is completely stopped.

Israel is planning such an attack on the eve of a new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States. The initial talks between the United States and Iran are scheduled to begin next Saturday in Rome.

Over the past few months, Israel has presented the Trump administration with various military plans - some of which are scheduled for this summer or spring. The sources said that these plans include air strikes and commando operations - which could delay Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons by months or years.

US Hesitation and Israel's Alternative Plan

Recently, the New York Times reported that Trump told Netanyahu in a meeting at the White House that the United States wants to prioritize the diplomatic path and is not in favor of a military strike at this time.

However, Israeli officials believe that they can now carry out a limited attack without direct US support. It would be smaller in scale than the attacks initially proposed.

However, it is still uncertain whether or when this plan will be implemented. Because efforts are underway to reach an agreement through negotiations. A senior Israeli official told Reuters that no final decision has been made yet.

Tehran's warning

A top Iranian security official said that they are aware of Israel's possible plans and that an attack would provoke a strong and uncompromising response.

He said, "We have reliable evidence that Israel is planning a major attack on Iran's nuclear facilities." This is partly a result of dissatisfaction with the ongoing diplomatic efforts and Netanyahu’s attempt to preserve his political existence.

Biden administration response

Netanyahu had shared a version of this plan with the Biden administration in the past. At the time, the Biden administration knew that a military strike would not be justified unless Tehran accelerated uranium enrichment or expelled international inspectors.

Israel has now sought military assistance from the United States and defense cooperation to counter potential Iranian retaliation after the attack. While a limited strike is possible without major assistance, only the United States has the capability to deliver heavy weapons such as “bunker-buster” bombs.

Potential risks and timing

Military and nuclear analysts say that even a large-scale strike would not permanently destroy Iran’s nuclear program, as parts of it are deep underground.

Netanyahu recently said that there are two ways to resolve this crisis—one is through a deal, but it has to be Libya-style: destroying everything, complete annihilation under American supervision. The other is that they will stall, and we will have the military option.

In Israel’s view, now could be a good time to strike Iran. Recent attacks on Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen have hurt them. Iran’s air defenses were also damaged in a clash in October 2024.

However, Israel is not saying when this attack might happen. A senior official told reporters that it was pointless to set a timeline for it now.

Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts and regional tensions, Israel’s plan could trigger another major conflict in the Middle East—one that would pose new challenges for the United States and its allies.