President Donald Trump has stoked global anxiety after saying on Thursday that an Israeli strike on Iran “could very well happen soon.” Speaking just days before a planned round of U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations, Trump’s offhand acknowledgment of a possible military operation risked derailing delicate diplomacy already on the brink.
“I don’t want them going in,” Trump said of Israel, referring to the ongoing efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions through negotiation. “I think it would blow it… might help it actually, but it could also blow it.”
The comment came mere hours after his administration confirmed that Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, will meet Iran’s foreign minister in Oman on Sunday.
Behind Closed Doors: Trump Hints Israel May Soon Hit Iran
Though Trump declined to share details of his Monday call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, officials say the president has repeatedly urged Israel to hold off on military action while talks continue. Yet behind the scenes, signs point to a different story.
According to recent reports, intelligence agencies in both the U.S. and Europe believe Israel is actively preparing for a strike—though its scale remains unknown. U.S. diplomats have already begun withdrawing personnel from the region amid fears of Iranian retaliation, and sources suggest Israel is taking advantage of Iran’s weakened military infrastructure post-Gaza.
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Iran Responds to IAEA Condemnation
Meanwhile, tensions have surged following a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which formally condemned Iran for failing to explain suspicious nuclear activities. In response, Tehran has vowed to escalate its uranium enrichment and activate a third enrichment site—deep underground.
The developments mark the first formal censure of Iran by the IAEA in two decades and could heighten the urgency of Sunday’s negotiations. Still, Iran has rejected the Trump administration’s demand to end uranium enrichment altogether, a sticking point that continues to stall progress.
Israel Sees a Closing Window
Netanyahu’s rationale for potential military action appears rooted in timing. Iranian proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah have suffered devastating blows in recent months, leaving Tehran relatively isolated. The Israeli prime minister reportedly believes this moment of Iranian vulnerability won’t last.
But executing such a strike is easier said than done. Israeli aircraft would need to travel over 1,000 miles to reach key sites, some of which are buried deep beneath mountains. Military analysts say that while Israel is capable, a full-scale operation would likely require American support—and bunker-busting munitions that Washington has yet to provide.
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The Risk of Escalation
A strike could also prompt Iran to withdraw cooperation with nuclear inspectors and accelerate its path to a nuclear bomb—something Tehran has so far stopped short of doing. A miscalculation could push the region into a spiral of retaliation that engulfs the U.S., especially with its current diplomatic foothold weakening.
Even Trump seems unsure of where this ends.
“It might help it… but it could also blow it,” he repeated.
For now, the world waits—watching two volatile forces on a collision course, with a former president’s comments raising the stakes in an already combustible region.
