Jerusalem [Israel], April 17: The New York Times on April 17 quoted US officials and sources familiar with the matter as saying that Israel had planned to attack Iranian nuclear sites as early as next month, but was prevented by President Donald Trump.
The White House boss's move is said to create an opportunity to negotiate a deal with Iran to limit the country's nuclear program.
Trump's decision comes after months of internal debate over whether to pursue diplomacy or support Israel in its efforts to deter Iran's bomb-making capabilities, at a time when Iran could be weakened militarily and economically.
Israeli officials recently developed plans to attack Iran's nuclear sites in May, hoping to gain U.S. backing. The goal of these proposals is to slow down Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by a year or more.
Most of the plans need U.S. help, not only to protect Israel from Iranian retaliation but also to ensure that the Israeli offensive will be successful.
However, Trump has now opted for diplomacy over military action. During his first term, he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. In his second term, he advocated negotiations with Iran because he wanted to avoid being drawn into another war in the Middle East, giving him a deadline of just a few months for negotiations.
Recently, Trump informed Israel of his decision that the United States would not support an attack. He discussed the issue when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington last week.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Netanyahu said a deal with Iran would only be effective if it allowed signatories to "enter, blow up facilities, dismantle all equipment, under U.S. deployment and supervision."
The information is based on multiple officials briefed on Israel's secret military plans, as well as conversations with anonymous officials in the U.S. administration.
Israel has long planned to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, rehearse bombings and calculate the extent of damage that could be caused with or without U.S. help.
Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, AFP on April 17 quoted International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi as saying that Iran is "not far away" from possessing a nuclear bomb. The remarks came after he traveled to Tehran for talks.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
