West Jerusalem reportedly continues to craft attack plans despite US President Donald Trump’s reliance on diplomacy
Israel is considering a “limited strike” on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the coming months, despite Washington’s refusal to support military action, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The deliberations come as the second round of US-Iran negotiations concluded in Rome, with expert-level talks expected to continue on April 26 in Oman.
According to Reuters, Israeli officials are weighing a “limited strike” that would require minimal US support – unlike the larger and prolonged bombing campaign previously under consideration.
Israel reportedly presented the Trump administration with several strike options, “including some with late spring and summer timelines.” A senior Israeli official told the outlet that no final decision had been made.
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli proposal for “extensive” strikes, opting instead to pursue diplomacy. “I’m not in a rush to do it, because I think that Iran has a chance to have a great country and to live happily without death, and I’d like to see that. That’s my first option,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
A senior Iranian security official told Reuters that Tehran had “intelligence from reliable sources that Israel is planning a major attack on Iran’s nuclear sites.” Iranian officials have previously vowed to retaliate against any form of aggression.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that the talks in Rome “were held in a constructive environment.” A US official told CBS News that the sides “made very good progress.”
Trump abandoned the 2015 UN-backed nuclear deal during his first term in office, accusing Iran of secretly violating the agreement. He reimposed sanctions on Tehran and, in February, formally renewed his “maximum pressure” campaign. Iran has denied any wrongdoing but has since rolled back its commitments under the deal, increasing uranium enrichment.
