Israel Still Considering Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities
Despite U.S. Opposition, Israel Weighs Independent Military Options
Israel, which opposes Iran's possession of nuclear weapons, is reportedly still considering an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Major international media outlets, including CNN, reported on the 19th (local time) that Israel has not abandoned its original plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities within the next few months.
It is known that several months ago, Israel proposed a series of attack plans to the Donald Trump administration in the United States, including the option of striking Iran's nuclear facilities in late spring or summer. The proposal aimed to delay the time it would take for Iranian authorities to produce nuclear weapons by several months or even more than a year, through a plan that combined airstrikes and commando operations and was designed with varying levels of intensity. The United States reportedly opposed this plan.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 16th that when President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House earlier this month, the United States emphasized that it prioritizes diplomatic dialogue with Iran and that President Trump himself does not support an attack on nuclear facilities in the short term.
Despite opposition from the United States, Israel continues to consider options for striking the nuclear facilities. Israeli officials told Reuters that their military could carry out a "limited" attack that would require less support from the United States. This operation would be much smaller in scale compared to what Israel initially proposed to the United States.
The United States and Iran began negotiations on April 12 in Oman to reduce Iran's nuclear program, and on this day, they are holding a second round of nuclear talks in Rome, Italy.
Prime Minister Netanyahu insists that any nuclear negotiations with Iran must lead to the complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear program.
With the United States and Iran entering nuclear negotiations, Israel's independent action could provoke President Trump's anger and could also affect the broad support that the United States provides to Israel. A senior Israeli official said that no decision has yet been made regarding an attack on Iran. A senior Iranian security official stated that Iran is aware of Israel's attack plans and warned that Iran would respond firmly and resolutely if an attack is carried out.
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