Israel poised to strike Iran by Sunday if nuclear deal rejected
Shafaq News/ Israel is prepared to launch a military strike against Iran as early as Sunday if Tehran rejects the latest US proposal aimed at halting uranium enrichment, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing senior Israeli, American, and Iranian officials.
According to the report, Israeli officials stated that the potential operation is intended to pressure Iran into abandoning efforts to enrich uranium to levels usable in nuclear weapons. 'The gamble is to force Iran to halt enrichment,' one Israeli source said.
Recent US intelligence has indicated that Israel is actively preparing for a possible attack, with operational planning and military positioning already underway, the report added.
In parallel, Iranian officials reportedly said they are ready to respond militarily and have developed counter-attack plans in case of an Israeli strike.
The Journal also reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the possibility of a military operation in a private conversation with former US President Donald Trump earlier this week. In that call, Trump reportedly urged Netanyahu to allow diplomacy to proceed before considering military options.
White House sources told The Wall Street Journal that the US has been working for weeks to restrain Israel from taking unilateral military action. The report further states that Washington has made it clear to Israeli officials that it would not provide offensive support if Israel decides to go ahead with a strike.
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