The U.S. and Israel delayed strikes on Iran by a week due to intelligence and operational considerations, according to senior U.S. and Israeli officials who spoke with Axios.
The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the assault.
The attack opened a stunning new chapter in U.S. intervention in Iran, carried the potential for retaliatory violence and a wider war, and represented a startling flex of military might for an American president who swept into office on an "America First" platform and vowed to keep out of "forever wars."
The opening strike, though, had initially been planned for Feb. 21.
"There was a weather thing," a Trump administration official told Axios, adding that weather concerns were "more on the mind of the Israelis."
An Israeli official said the postponement was largely at Washington's request, citing the need for closer coordination with the Israel Defense Forces.
"The last two weeks have been very back and forth," said one Trump administration official.
"Some people say it was about the moon or the weather or whatever. But that's bull," the official added.
"There was a weather thing," they acknowledged. "There's no question. And there was a weather issue more in the mind of the Israelis."
Iran and the U.S. held talks as recently as last Thursday as the Trump administration worked to delay Tehran's nuclear program.
But both parties left without a deal.
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who mediated the talks in Geneva, said there had been "significant progress in the negotiation" without elaborating.
But just before the talks ended, Iranian state television reported that Tehran was determined to continue enriching uranium, rejected proposals to transfer it abroad, and sought the lifting of international sanctions — indicating it was not prepared to meet President Donald Trump's demands.
"There was a concerted effort to negotiate in good faith, including in Geneva. But nothing came of it," a U.S. official told Axios.
"And we had our assets ready to go. So the president decided to strike."
"Iran could have prevented this by negotiating in good faith. They didn't," added the official.
Trump, the report added, was "very explicit" about using military force if the Iranians didn't accept the deal.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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