Several major U.S. media outlets reported over the past 24 hours that Israel is preparing for a possible military operation against Iran, citing unnamed officials. No public confirmation has been offered by Israeli or U.S. officials.
The reports come as concerns mount that the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks are on the verge of collapse. The sixth round of talks is tentatively set for Sunday in Oman; President Donald Trump's 60-day deadline for an agreement to be reached expired on Wednesday.
Israel's Channel 12 News reported on Thursday that Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad chief David Barnea will meet with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff ahead of the scheduled talks.
The negotiations appear to have stalled over the issue of uranium enrichment. Trump has expressed skepticism regarding the prospects of reaching a deal, stating in a podcast that aired on Wednesday that he is becoming "less confident" regarding the success of the talks.
He was unequivocal when addressing the matter at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, stating, "They can't have a nuclear weapon, we're not going to allow that."
Iran has threatened to strike U.S. military bases across the Middle East if the talks fail and military action is taken against it. Reuters reported that Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh stated on Wednesday that, should conflict erupt, "all U.S. bases are within our reach, and we will boldly target them in host nations" such as Qatar, Bahrain, and Iraq.
In light of these threats, The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that the U.S. State Department has ordered nonessential staff to evacuate the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, amid government efforts to decrease the number of personnel in the Middle East. The department also authorized nonessential staff and their relatives to depart from Bahrain and Kuwait.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also approved a voluntary evacuation from U.S. embassies and locations throughout the region.
The departure order, authorizations and voluntary evacuation are "due to the potential for regional unrest" amid rising regional tensions in recent days, according to the report.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has also restricted U.S. government personnel and their families to the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva areas due to increased regional tensions.
According to NBC, Jerusalem is preparing for a possible unilateral strike on Iran, with the U.S. possibly providing support in the form of aerial refueling and intelligence sharing.
The Iranians have reportedly developed plans for immediate retaliation in the case of an Israeli attack, which could include the rapid launch of hundreds of ballistic missiles, The New York Times reported.
The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday found the Islamic Republic in noncompliance with its nuclear safeguards obligations for the first time in nearly 20 years.
A resolution introduced by the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom at the Board of Governors meeting in Vienna passed with broad support from the 35 members — 19 votes in favor, 11 abstentions and three against. Russia, China and Burkina Faso were the no votes.
Iran had warned that it would respond strongly should the IAEA resolution pass, possibly including withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would impede international monitoring of its nuclear program.
Shortly after the passage of the IAEA resolution, Iran announced that it would build a new uranium enrichment facility "in a secure location," according to a joint statement from the Atomic Energy Organization and the Foreign Ministry. The statement added that "other measures … will be announced later."
Jerusalem has long considered a nuclear-armed Iran an existential threat, a position shared by the United States.
"Iran has engaged in a systematic clandestine nuclear weapons program. It is rapidly accumulating highly enriched uranium, clearly proving the nature of the program is for non-peaceful purposes," Israel's Foreign Ministry said in response to the IAEA's decision.
The ministry statement emphasized that Iran has repeatedly blocked the IAEA's efforts to verify and monitor its nuclear activities, removed inspectors, and cleaned up or hid sites suspected of undeclared nuclear work.
"These actions undermine the global non-proliferation regime and pose an imminent threat to regional and international security and stability," the ministry continued, calling on the international community to take decisive action against Tehran's noncompliance and "take measures to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons."
This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.