APRIL 19th, 2025 – Israel has not ruled out launching a limited military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the coming months, despite President Donald Trump privately signaling to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States is not currently willing to support such an operation, according to an Israeli official and two other sources familiar with the matter.
This exclusive Reuters report comes as Israeli leaders continue to press for the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, warning that Tehran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu has remained steadfast that any diplomatic agreement must result in the full removal of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Diplomatic efforts have been ongoing, as U.S. and Iranian negotiators held a second round of preliminary nuclear talks in Rome on Saturday. However, over the past several months, Israeli officials have floated multiple military options to the Trump administration, including scenarios involving airstrikes and commando raids. These plans were designed with late spring and summer timelines in mind and aim to hinder Tehran’s nuclear ambitions by anywhere from a few months to over a year, according to the sources.
As per Reuters, The New York Times reported earlier this week that Trump, in a recent White House meeting, told Netanyahu he preferred to prioritize diplomacy with Tehran for now and was unwilling to back a military strike in the short term. Still, Israeli officials believe they could proceed with a more limited operation that would require significantly less U.S. involvement than initially proposed.
Such a strike would be narrower in scope, potentially avoiding the need for U.S. bombers or bunker-busting munitions, but Israel would still seek American political backing and assistance in the event of Iranian retaliation.
A senior Israeli official told Reuters that “no decision has been made yet,” while the Prime Minister’s office declined to comment.
Meanwhile, Iran is closely monitoring the situation. A senior Iranian security official warned of a “harsh and unwavering response” if Israel acts. “We have intelligence from reliable sources that Israel is planning a major attack on Iran’s nuclear sites,” the official said. “This stems from dissatisfaction with ongoing diplomatic efforts and Netanyahu’s need for conflict as a means of political survival.”
Tensions with Biden Administration
Israel’s push for military action had already faced resistance from the previous Biden administration. According to two former senior officials, Netanyahu had sought U.S. leadership in an air campaign, but the White House pushed back, arguing that a strike was only justifiable if Iran significantly escalated—such as by expelling nuclear inspectors or accelerating enrichment efforts.
U.S. officials also questioned whether the Israeli military had the capacity to carry out a successful strike without substantial American help. Many nuclear and defense experts have said that hitting Iran’s fortified and underground nuclear facilities would likely require extensive U.S. military support.
Even with a scaled-down attack, Israeli officials have indicated they would still want a firm U.S. commitment to assist in defending against any Iranian response.
Though Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, Western nations, including Israel and the U.S., have long suspected otherwise. Experts caution that even a well-executed strike may only temporarily disrupt Iran’s progress.
In recent weeks, Israeli officials have told Washington that no nuclear deal should proceed without an airtight guarantee that Iran cannot build a bomb. Netanyahu has compared the only acceptable outcome to the “Libyan model,” involving full dismantlement under U.S. supervision. “The second possibility is … that they drag out the talks and then there is the military option,” Netanyahu said following his talks with Trump.
A Narrow Window
From Israel’s strategic perspective, the current regional dynamics may offer a rare opportunity. Iran’s regional allies—Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon—have been significantly weakened amid ongoing Israeli operations, while the U.S. has also hit Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. Israel itself damaged Iranian air defenses during a high-profile exchange in October 2024.
A senior Israeli official acknowledged the window of opportunity may be closing. “If a strike is to happen, it must be before Iran rebuilds its air defenses,” the official said, though he declined to specify a timeline, calling any speculation “pointless.”
As both diplomacy and military planning proceed in parallel, the coming weeks may prove pivotal in shaping the future of Iran’s nuclear program—and the possibility of another conflict in the Middle East.
