Israel plans to strike Iranian nuclear sites despite internal rifts - report

Israel is preparing for a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, despite growing fractures within its political and military establishment and its renewed war on Gaza.

The attack on Iranian nuclear sites set for May, part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategic agenda, was reportedly delayed after US President Donald Trump stepped in to block it, The New York Times reported.

The move comes after Netanyahu’s sudden visit to the White House on 7 April. During the bruising meeting with Trump at the Oval Office, he was blindsided by the start of US-Iran negotiations on potential nuclear deal talks.

Over the past months, Israel has proposed to the Trump administration a series of options to attack Iran’s facilities, including some with late spring and summer timelines, the sources said.

The plans include a mix of airstrikes and commando operations that vary in severity and could set back Tehran's ability to weaponise its nuclear program by just months or a year or more, the sources said.

According to analysts, Israel's silence on the imminent attack could mean that its long-standing ambition of crippling Iran's nuclear program has moved beyond rhetoric. Reports indicate that Israel is advancing with preparations, including troop readiness and field coordination with US forces.

The Trump administration previously said that any intervention would underline Washington’s ability to restrain Israeli decision-making when it sees fit. A successful strike would require American support, especially from the US Air Force, either through direct participation or defensive coordination.

Iran's air defences reportedly degraded and its influence weakened across the region, Israel views the current moment as ideal. He seeks not only to reshape the Middle East post-Gaza war, but also to define his political legacy through military victories: halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, dismantling Hezbollah, and ending Palestinian resistance.

Since Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza in March, violating a temporary truce and killing more than 61,700 Palestinians and wounding over 116,931 others, signs of unrest have surfaced.

Public support remains broadly intact, but protests have begun, especially among families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. In recent weeks, dozens of Israeli reserve officers, including members of elite units, have publicly urged the government to prioritise a prisoner exchange over continuing military operations.