US intelligence reveals Israel considering strikes on Iran nuclear facilities

American intelligence has revealed that Israel is considering the possibility of striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, amid Washington and Tel Aviv’s increasing tensions with Tehran over the past month.

According to the Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed officials familiar with a US intelligence report, the “weakened” state of Iran’s military apparatus throughout the Middle East has significantly increased potential risks of “further high-stakes military activity” in the region.

The intelligence assessment – produced during the final days of administration of former US President Joe Biden – also reported that Israel may seek US support in pursuit of such an attack, with the Israelis reportedly believing that current President Donald Trump would more likely back military action than Biden would have at the time.

Officials also spoke of a second intelligence report that followed on from that, this time during the early days of Trump’s administration, which reiterated Israel’s consideration of strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities.

The revelations of the reported Israeli plans to carry out the strikes come as Trump warned on Monday that “bombs or with a written piece of paper” could prevent Iran from developing nuclear arms.

In response to those aggressive overtures, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged his country on Wednesday to further develop its military capabilities in an effort to defend itself against such threats.

READ: Iran’s Khamenei cites need to further develop Iran’s military after Trump threats