New Intel Suggests Israel May Be Preparing Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Sites, US Officials Say

The US has acquired new intelligence indicating Israel may be getting ready to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. This comes as the Trump administration continues diplomatic talks with Tehran.

Such a move would defy President Donald Trump’s current approach. Officials say no final decision has been made by Israel, and views within the US government differ on how likely a strike is.

“But the chance of an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility has gone up significantly in recent months,” said one person familiar with the intelligence. “And 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.”

Signals include intercepted Israeli communications and military activity such as moving air munitions and completing air exercises. These actions could also be intended to pressure Iran rather than signal a confirmed strike.

Trump has threatened military action if diplomacy fails. In March, he gave Iran a 60-day deadline in a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. That deadline has passed.

A senior Western diplomat said Trump told him there were only “weeks” left before considering strikes. For now, diplomacy remains the US position.

This has left Israel in a tough spot. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu must weigh opposition to a potential US-Iran deal against the risk of alienating Trump.

“At the end of the day, the Israeli decision-making is going to be predicated on US policy determinations and actions,” said former US intelligence official Jonathan Panikoff, who added Netanyahu is unlikely to act without at least quiet US support.

Israel sees an opening after damaging Iran’s missile and air defenses last October and weakening its proxies. A senior US official said intelligence efforts have been ramped up in case Israel acts.

Still, without US support, such as refueling and bunker-busting bombs, Israel cannot fully eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, according to a source.

An Israeli source told CNN Israel could act alone if the US strikes a “bad deal.”

“I think it’s more likely they strike to try and get the deal to fall apart if they think Trump is going to settle for a ‘bad deal,’” another source said. “The Israelis have not been shy about signaling that to us … both publicly and privately.”