Israel views any US-Iran nuclear agreement unacceptable, sources say
Israel is considering a potential military strike against Iran as tension continues to rise between Tehran and Washington over the Iranian nuclear program, US media said on Thursday.
NBC News, citing five people with knowledge of the situation, said Tel Aviv could unilaterally carry out a strike against Iran in the coming days.
The sources said that Israel views any nuclear agreement between the US and Iran, particularly if it allows Tehran to enrich uranium, as unacceptable.
It, however, remains unclear whether Israel would undertake a limited military strike now or wait until nuclear negotiations played out further.
The US and Iran are set to hold a sixth round of indirect nuclear negotiations in Oman on Sunday. The main sticking point remains Iran's uranium enrichment program.
While the US demands a complete halt to enrichment, Iranian negotiators insist the program is non-negotiable and will continue with or without a deal.
US President Donald Trump, who has previously advocated for a military response if diplomacy fails, said on Wednesday he was less confident that Iran would agree to stop uranium enrichment.
“They're just asking for things that you can't do,” Trump said. “They seek enrichment. We can't have enrichment.”
The sources, however, said they were unaware of any US plans for direct involvement in any possible Israeli strike against Iran.
On Wednesday, the US ordered the voluntary departure of nonessential employees and military families from some locations in the Middle East.
Trump confirmed Wednesday that American personnel face evacuation because regional locations "could be a dangerous place."
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh on Wednesday threatened to target US bases in the region if a conflict breaks out between the two countries over Tehran's nuclear program.
His threat came a day after Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), testified before Congress, saying he presented a “range of options” to Trump to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
