Is Israel planning to launch military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities? US intel says ‘preparations underway’

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.

While Israel does not appear to have made a final decision, the likelihood of a strike has increased substantially in recent months, the CNN report said, quoting officials familiar with the intelligence.

They noted that whether Israel moves forward will largely hinge on the outcome of ongoing US-Iran negotiations regarding Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Why would Israel attack Iran's nuclear sites?

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 report also said that 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.

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.

What would it mean for the US?

An attack like this could mark a serious divergence from Trump's current diplomacy strategy and risk triggering wider conflict across the already-volatile Middle East, the CNN said. 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.

US-Iran nuclear deal

Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran if Tehran doesn’t reach a deal to limit its atomic work in exchange for relief from crippling US sanctions. Iran says its program is peaceful but it’s long faced suspicion that it could be weaponised.

The US-Iran nuclear deal’s success hinges on navigating complex diplomatic challenges and ensuring compliance from both sides. Iran insists on continuing uranium enrichment, which remains a sticking point for Washington and its allies, who seek robust verification mechanisms to prevent nuclear weapon development.

Moreover, internal political divisions within Iran and scepticism in the US Congress pose additional hurdles.