'Israel preparing to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities': Report cites US intel inputs

The United States has gathered new intelligence suggesting that Israel is preparing for a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, CNN reported, citing multiple US officials familiar with the matter. This comes as the Trump administration continues diplomatic efforts with Tehran for a nuclear deal , which was earlier scrapped by Trump himself during his first term.

Although no final decision has been made to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, officials familiar with the intelligence say the chances of a strike have risen sharply in recent months.

Whether Israel proceeds will largely depend on how the ongoing US-Iran talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme unfold.

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 new intelligence is based on both public and private messages from senior Israeli officials, intercepted Israeli communications, and observed military movements that may point to a possible strike, CNN reported.

Two sources told CNN that US officials had noticed signs such as the movement of air munitions and the completion of an air drill as part of Israel’s military preparations.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called US demands for Iran to stop enriching uranium “excessive and outrageous,” according to state media. He also expressed doubt about whether the ongoing nuclear talks with the US would succeed.

This is a developing story.