US Intel points to possible Israeli strike on Iran nuclear sites amid diplomatic push

Times of Oman

21-05-2025

Washington: The United States has gathered new intelligence suggesting that Israel is actively preparing for a potential military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, even as President Donald Trump's administration continues its diplomatic efforts with Tehran, CNN reported, citing multiple US officials on Tuesday (local time).
While Israel appears not to have made a final decision, CNN, citing officials familiar with the intelligence, has reported that the likelihood of a strike has increased substantially in recent months.
They noted that whether Israel moves forward will largely hinge on the outcome of ongoing US-Iran negotiations regarding Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
A source cited by CNN said that "the chance of an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility has gone up significantly," particularly if Washington's deal fails to curb Iran's uranium enrichment fully.
The US assessment is based on both intercepted Israeli communications and visible military movements, including the repositioning of aerial munitions and the completion of a major Israeli air exercise, as reported by CNN.
However, officials also warned that these moves could be part of a broader Israeli effort to pressure Iran diplomatically, rather than a sign of imminent military action.
As per CNN, any such attack would mark a serious divergence from Trump's current diplomacy strategy and could risk triggering wider conflict across the already-volatile Middle East. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, the US has sought to avoid such escalation.
President Trump has threatened military action if talks with Iran fail, but has publicly committed to diplomacy in the short term.
According to CNN, in March, Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving Tehran a 60-day deadline to reach a deal. That deadline has passed, and it has been over five weeks since the talks began.
Meanwhile, a senior Western diplomat told CNN that Trump, in a recent meeting, signalled he would allow only a few more weeks for the negotiations to succeed before considering military options.
Israel, meanwhile, is navigating difficult choices. As per CNN, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure to prevent a US-Iran deal he considers weak, without straining the country's strategic alliance with Washington.