Israel prepared overnight Friday for the possibility of a major American military strike against Iran, amid growing signs that the United States is positioning forces for a potential large-scale operation even as President Donald Trump continues to leave the door open for diplomacy.
According to an Israeli official who spoke to Kan News, Israeli defense planners had anticipated that a U.S. attack on Iran could trigger retaliatory Iranian missile strikes against Israel, potentially drawing Jerusalem directly into a broader military campaign against Iranian targets.
The official said Israeli assessments indicate that Trump has postponed the deadline he previously set for a decision on military action in order to give Tehran one final opportunity to return to negotiations. Despite that delay, the United States is continuing to build up forces in the region capable of launching a major offensive on short notice if the President decides to proceed.
Kan News reported that in recent weeks the United States has deployed dozens of aerial refueling aircraft, fighter jets, interceptor systems for air defense batteries, and additional munitions throughout the region.
According to the report, approximately 90 American KC-135 refueling aircraft have arrived in Israel over the past two weeks and have been stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, Ramon Airport, and Ovda Air Base. The scale of the deployment has been compared to the military buildup seen during Operation Roaring Lion.
The heightened military preparations come as Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s office announced that he is expected to travel to Washington next week for talks with President Trump at the White House.
Senior Israeli officials reportedly believe that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has adopted a hard-line negotiating position that is making it increasingly difficult to reach an agreement. According to those officials, the prospect of coordinated military action by the United States and Israel could strengthen Washington’s leverage in any future negotiations with Tehran.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal delivered by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
According to Iranian sources cited by the newspaper, Tehran refused to consider a temporary ceasefire that did not fully resolve the dispute over freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The office of the Iraqi prime minister denied the report, calling it “baseless.”
{Matzav.com}