U.S. President Donald Trump has declined to support Israel’s proposed operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, The New York Times reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, Israel had drawn up plans for strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, potentially launching as early as May, with the aim of delaying Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.
Nearly all proposed scenarios would have required U.S. assistance—both to ensure the effectiveness of the strikes and to defend Israel from possible retaliation by Iran. Israeli officials reportedly believed that Washington would back the operation.
Contrary to those expectations, Trump rejected the idea of a military strike, favoring ongoing diplomatic efforts to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The U.S. communicated this position to Israel “earlier this month.”
At the same time, Donald Trump publicly threatened Iran with strikes over its nuclear weapons development.
