On the eve of high-stakes U.S.-Iran talks in Oman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an unscheduled meeting of his security cabinet Thursday night, potentially signaling unease in Jerusalem over the direction of diplomacy between Washington and Tehran.

The meeting, moved up from Sunday at Netanyahu’s direction, came less than 24 hours before Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was set to meet in Muscat with senior U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on the closed-door session, though Israel’s Channel 12 reported that it included briefings on multiple security and regional issues, including the Palestinian Authority’s finances, and was not exclusively focused on Iran.

Earlier Thursday, Netanyahu, speaking to lawmakers in the Knesset, said there was “a buildup of conditions toward a critical mass” that could destabilize Iran’s ruling regime, while cautioning that the outcome remained uncertain.

He also warned that any Iranian attack on Israel would trigger “a powerful response,” according to the Knesset Spokesman’s Office.

Behind the scenes, Israeli officials remain skeptical that the Oman talks will yield results. Kan reported that Jerusalem views the negotiations largely as a preliminary effort to map differences, which officials believe remain wide.

“The expectation for a breakthrough is low,” one Israeli source told the network.

In Washington, President Donald Trump stressed that the talks are taking place under the shadow of U.S. military power.

Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Trump said Iran was negotiating because “they don’t want us to hit them,” reiterating that a major U.S. naval force was positioned near the region.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters the administration was waiting to see what Witkoff and Kushner brought back from Oman.

“Zero nuclear capability is something the president has been very explicit about,” Leavitt said. “He has many options at his disposal aside from diplomacy.”

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have sought to project confidence ahead of the talks.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran would negotiate “with authority” and aim for a “fair, mutually acceptable and dignified” agreement focused on the nuclear issue. He emphasized that Iran would not expand discussions to include its missile program.

That position puts Tehran at odds with Washington, which has insisted that any deal must cover Iran’s ballistic missiles and regional activities.

Complicating the talks, several Middle Eastern countries have been promoting a broader framework aimed at reducing the risk of regional war. Diplomats told Israeli media that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have pushed for a non-aggression pact between the U.S. and Iran, covering nuclear issues, missiles and proxy forces.

But Iran objected to holding talks in Turkey with multiple countries present, prompting Washington to relocate negotiations to Oman for bilateral discussions only. It remains unclear whether the regional proposal will be addressed.

Kushner and Witkoff were in Doha on Thursday meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani ahead of Friday’s session.

According to Channel 12, the Oman talks are expected to center on Iran’s nuclear stockpile, particularly uranium enriched to 60 percent, just short of weapons-grade levels.

U.S. officials are pressing Tehran to hand over existing stockpiles and halt further enrichment. Washington is also seeking guarantees that Iran will not resume advanced nuclear activity.

Kushner’s presence, absent from earlier rounds, is being interpreted in Jerusalem as a signal that the White House has elevated the talks and is prepared to make high-level decisions.

Despite Iran’s weakened position following last year’s brief regional war and continued U.S. military buildup, Israeli officials worry Washington could soften its stance — particularly on Iran’s missile program — to secure a limited nuclear deal.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)