Israel preparing for potential strike on Iran, US officials say

According to several sources speaking to CBS News, Israel is now fully prepared to launch a military operation against Iran. American officials have been briefed on Israel’s readiness.

U.S. officials believe that in the event of such a strike, Iran may retaliate by targeting American assets in neighbouring Iraq. This assessment contributed to Washington’s recent directive urging some Americans to leave the region.

On June 11, the State Department ordered non-essential government personnel to depart Iraq due to what it described as “heightened regional tensions.” Simultaneously, the Pentagon has authorised family members of U.S. military personnel to voluntarily leave several Middle Eastern locations, according to a defence official.

Despite the rising tensions, President Donald Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, still plans to hold a sixth round of nuclear negotiations with Iran in the coming days, two U.S. officials confirmed.

President Trump addressed the Iran situation during remarks at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday. He stated that Americans had been urged to leave the region “because it could be a dangerous place,” adding, “we’ll see what happens.” He also reiterated the administration’s hardline position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, declaring, “We’re not going to allow [Iran] to have a nuclear weapon.”

When asked at the White House about the decision to allow military dependents to leave the region, Trump responded enigmatically, “You’ll have to see.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh issued a stern warning on Wednesday, stating that if nuclear negotiations collapse and a conflict is forced upon Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would “target all U.S. bases in the host countries.”

In light of the situation, the U.K. Maritime Trade Organisation released an advisory on Wednesday urging vessels to remain vigilant in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. These vital waterways for international oil shipments are now considered areas where “increased tensions within the region could lead to an escalation of military activity.”

Both Israeli officials and U.S. administration spokespeople have declined to comment publicly on the matter.

The Trump administration continues to pursue a deal with Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear program, which international monitors report has progressed to near-weapons-grade uranium enrichment. However, the outlook for a negotiated agreement remains uncertain. President Trump has insisted that Iran must cease all uranium enrichment—a demand Iranian leaders have rejected, according to Trump’s own comments earlier in the week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long opposed any agreement with Tehran, viewing Iran as an existential threat. Since Iran’s 1979 revolution, the two nations have remained staunch adversaries. Netanyahu’s office maintains that Israel has undertaken “countless overt and covert operations” to hamper Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Last month, President Trump revealed he had advised Netanyahu against launching a strike on Iran while U.S. diplomatic efforts are still ongoing.

“I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we're very close to a solution,” Trump said.

Iran, for its part, claims its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes. The 2015 nuclear accord negotiated by then-President Barack Obama imposed limits on Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts, despite Netanyahu’s fierce opposition. Trump withdrew the U.S. from that deal during his first term and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, which then ramped up its uranium enrichment in response.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported two weeks ago that Iran now possesses 408.6 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, just short of the 90% threshold required for a nuclear weapon. That figure marks a substantial increase from the 274.8 kilograms recorded in February.

Testifying before Congress on June 11, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth remarked, “There are plenty of indications that they have been moving their way towards something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon.”

By Tamilla Hasanova