Israel weighs strike on Iran as talks with Tehran remain uncertain

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israel has not ruled out the possibility of a U.S. strike on Iran, with officials divided between those urging Tel Aviv to take steps that would support the overthrow of the Iranian regime and those who favor waiting for developments in the U.S.-Iran negotiation track.

Israel is operating on more than one front. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment on reports of a conversation between Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the need to ensure the success of negotiations with Iran. 

At the same time, Israeli sources confirmed intensified consultations with the United States.

Mossad chief David Barnea has arrived in the United States, where he is expected to hold talks in Miami with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who oversees Washington’s communication channel with Iran. 

Meanwhile, Israeli Cabinet member and Energy Minister Eli Cohen confirmed that both the military strike option and the negotiation track remain under consideration.

The Israeli military continues its preparations amid assessments suggesting that the likelihood of a strike outweighs that of a negotiated outcome. 

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has intensified training across various units, while the political leadership has sought to reassure the public by stating that Tel Aviv would be informed in advance of any strike against Iran.

As Israel maintains a heightened state of emergency, the military establishment has refocused attention on Hezbollah. 

Israel has stepped up strikes against the group while seeking to leverage negotiations with Iran to press for Hezbollah to be persuaded to relinquish its weapons, a move Israel says would help transform the Lebanese front into a stable zone.