Israel ready for military strike on Iran without US support: Report

Israel is reportedly weighing a military strike against Tehran’s nuclear facilities without US support. According to a report by NBC News, Israel has become increasingly serious about taking military action amid concerns that Washington may be nearing a deal with Iran — one that Jerusalem views as dangerously lenient on uranium enrichment.

"Israel is considering taking military action against Iran -- most likely without US support -- even as US President Donald Trump is in advanced discussions with Tehran,” the report said.

Sources told NBC that Israel is particularly alarmed by framework provisions under discussion, which appear to allow Iran to retain enrichment capabilities deemed unacceptable by the Israeli government.

US President Donald Trump acknowledged the growing risk of conflict while still pushing for a diplomatic resolution. "I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen," he told reporters on Thursday, adding, "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon."

The escalating tension has put the US military and diplomatic corps in the region on high alert. The State Department ordered the departure of nonessential personnel from the US Embassy in Baghdad, and authorised similar exits from Bahrain and Kuwait.

"I don’t want to be the one that didn’t give any warning, and missiles are flying into their buildings," Trump said, explaining his decision to evacuate staff from Middle Eastern posts. "It’s possible. So I had to do it."

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also greenlit the voluntary departure of military dependents across US Central Command’s area of operations. CENTCOM noted it was "monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East."

Meanwhile, Iran is digging in. Hours after the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued its first formal censure of Tehran in two decades, Iran announced it has built. It will soon activate a third uranium enrichment site. Iran has two underground sites, at Fordo and Natanz, and it has been building tunnels in the mountains near Natanz since suspected Israeli sabotage attacks targeted that facility.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to respond to this political resolution," Iran’s Foreign Ministry and Atomic Energy Organisation said in a joint statement.

IRAN WILL REBUILD IF ISRAEL STRIKES

President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any Israeli attempt to bomb Iranian nuclear sites would be futile. "It is not the case that if they destroy our facilities with bombs, everything will be lost," he told state media. "These capabilities exist in our minds we will rebuild again."

Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami echoed that sentiment, promising Iran’s retaliation would be "more forceful and destructive" than ever before.

Despite these warnings, Trump expressed cautious optimism that diplomacy could still prevail. "As long as I think there is a chance for an agreement, I don’t want (Israel) going in because I think it would blow it," he said.

A sixth round of US-Iran talks will begin on Sunday in Oman.

With inputs from Associated Press