JERUSALEM/TEHRAN (BN24) — Israel is reportedly prepared to launch a preemptive military strike against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure within days if Tehran rejects a U.S.-brokered proposal to curb its nuclear activities, according to a Thursday report by The Wall Street Journal citing American and Israeli officials. The development marks the most serious escalation yet in a long-simmering standoff that has drawn in global powers and threatens to spark a broader regional conflict.
A senior Israeli official told the Journal that a strike could occur as early as Sunday unless Iran agrees to immediately halt its production of fissile material, which can be used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the potential operation with U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call earlier this week, two American officials confirmed.
The urgency comes as Trump’s self-imposed 60-day deadline for reaching a new nuclear agreement with Iran expired on Wednesday. With no deal in sight, Israel appears poised to act unilaterally, despite Washington’s reluctance to support an immediate offensive.
Sources within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told The Sun that the military has spent months preparing for a high-risk strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. A senior intelligence official revealed that three air campaigns have been executed since April to dismantle key components of Iran’s aerial defense network — a strategic move designed to give Israeli jets a safer corridor into Iranian airspace.
“Fearful [of an Iranian counterattack]? No,” said an Iron Dome operator, identified only as Tsgt Y. “We’re prepared for anything that might come.”
Though Israel originally sought U.S. cooperation for any offensive action, senior aides to Netanyahu told The Sun last week that the prime minister has now finalized a strike plan that can be executed without American support.
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has vowed a severe and immediate reaction to any Israeli aggression. IRGC commanders warned of “more forceful and destructive” reprisals than any prior engagements. Intelligence analysts caution that such a strike may provoke a large-scale missile barrage on Israeli targets, as well as renewed momentum within Iran to complete the development of a nuclear weapon.
Dr. Raz Zimmt, a veteran of IDF military intelligence and expert on Iranian affairs, warned that even if Iran avoids directly targeting U.S. forces to prevent a wider war, the Islamic Republic could still unleash thousands of ballistic missiles against Israel.
“Iran is equipped with a vast arsenal of missiles that can cause significant damage,” Zimmt told The Sun. “The immediate response would be heavy strikes against Israeli territory. But more concerning is the long-term consequence: Iran might exploit the chaos to reconstitute its nuclear program in secret, away from international oversight.”
He added that Iran currently possesses enough fissile material to construct three to five nuclear bombs, though it is not yet technically capable of assembling a working device.
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has reported ongoing Iranian non-compliance with nuclear safeguards, raising further international alarm. Surveillance gaps and suspected covert enrichment activities have deepened suspicions that Tehran may be positioning itself for a potential “nuclear breakout.”
A French diplomatic source warned that the situation could spiral rapidly if Iran retaliates militarily. “You must have a kind of coalition against the reaction of Iran,” the official said, referencing earlier joint military efforts by the U.S., U.K., and France. “If Iran tries to strike back, you will see a coalition form immediately. But there will also be a political earthquake: Israel’s closest ally is the U.S., and Iran’s most powerful backer is Russia. A direct conflict risks dragging these nuclear powers into confrontation.”
The looming strike threat coincides with a scheduled sixth round of nuclear negotiations in Oman on Sunday. Netanyahu has expressed doubt about the usefulness of continued diplomacy, arguing that the time for action has come.
“Israel regards Iran as enemy number one,” a senior Israeli diplomat told The Wall Street Journal. “The prime minister has been clear: we cannot allow them to obtain a nuclear weapon.”
While Trump has repeatedly warned Iran against developing nuclear weapons, he has also cautioned Netanyahu against taking unilateral action that could derail diplomatic progress. But with the deadline passed and no agreement reached, Israeli military planners believe the conditions for a strike have been met.
The United States has begun reducing its presence in the region, including evacuating non-essential personnel from its embassy in Baghdad. President Trump referenced the moves during remarks Wednesday night, saying, “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place. We’ll see what happens. They can’t have a nuclear weapon — very simple.”
Israel’s military believes it has neutralized Iran’s primary aerial defenses in recent months, potentially opening a brief window to execute precision strikes on key nuclear facilities in Natanz and Fordow before Iranian countermeasures can be deployed.
Still, analysts caution that any attack, even if militarily successful, could have unintended consequences — not least of which is Iran abandoning its current nuclear posture and racing openly toward weaponization.
The region now stands at a pivotal moment, with Israel on the brink of launching strikes that could alter the Middle East’s strategic landscape for years. Tehran’s possible responses — from massive missile retaliation to accelerating a covert nuclear program — could ignite a prolonged and potentially global confrontation.
