Trump ‘thwarted Israeli plan to attack Iran’

Donald Trump thwarted an Israeli plan to launch a military assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities, it has been disclosed. Israel had reached an advanced stage of planning a multi-day bombing campaign that could have been launched as early as May, and its leaders were hoping for a green light and active support from the United States. The New York Times reported that US military chiefs were kept closely informed, but that in recent weeks the US president decided to shelve the plans in favour of a fresh attempt at diplomacy.

It followed a weeks-long debate at the heart of the new administration, with Susie Wiles, Mr Trump’s chief of staff, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, JD Vance, the US vice-president, and Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, all voicing doubts. Since retaking office in late January, Mr Trump has combined a written overture to Iran’s supreme leader with repeated threats to bomb the country if it continued with its nuclear programme. Formal talks began last weekend in Oman and, despite deep scepticism in Israel about their chances of success, they are set to continue in the coming days in Rome.



Western intelligence officials fear that Iran could enrich sufficient uranium for a nuclear bomb within a week and potentially fashion it into a “crude” weapon within a few months. The Islamic Republic is judged to need a year to 18 months to properly develop a warhead and integrate that with a ballistic missile, a process that would almost certainly be detected by Israel and the West. The New York Times reported that Israel had initially considered combining air strikes with commando raids on Iran’s nuclear sites.

The model was used successfully against military infrastructure in Syria last year. However, the tactics would need to be applied on a far bigger scale in Iran, and planners judged they could not be sure of destroying all the enriched uranium, because it is being stored in multiple sites, and that troops would not be ready to execute the plan until October. An aggressive air campaign starting in early May and lasting more than a week was envisaged instead.

The Telegraph has previously reported that Israeli officials consider now to be an opportune time, with Iran’s main air defence system weak thanks to Israeli strikes last year , plus the weakness of the Iranian proxy Hezbollah, blunting the inevitable retaliation on Israel. Despite the enthusiasm for the plan by Israeli military chiefs in Tel Aviv, Gen Michael Kurilla, the head of the US Central Command, reportedly communicated Mr Trump’s decision to favour the diplomatic route during a visit in early April. Mr Trump then reportedly stopped Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, from talking about it over a phone call, citing security concerns.

Mr Netanyahu visited the White House in the second week of April, ostensibly to talk about tariffs, although it was widely reported that, in reality, Iran was top of Israel’s agenda . Trump opted for Iran talks However, Mr Trump used the visit to announce “direct” talks with Iran, effectively tying Israel’s hands with regards to military strikes while the negotiations continue. It is not a condition of the talks that Iran pauses its nuclear development while they continue, and Israel is worried the regime could seek to string out discussions.

Launching a major attack on Iran without US blessing is generally considered diplomatically unthinkable in Israel. For a good chance of success – defined as setting back Iran’s nuclear weapons programme by a year or more – strikes would need active US military participation. Refuelling aircraft and 30,000lbs of “bunker busting” bombs are considered some of the key American assets Israel would need on its side.

Israel would also want the US to help defend it from the inevitable mass rocket attacks – most likely on civilian areas – that Iran would launch in response. The US has now moved two aircraft carrier groups into the region, as well as bolstering its long-range strategic bomber force on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, which is in range of Iran. However, Ms Gabbard was reportedly wary of triggering a wider confrontation with Iran by its build-up of military hardware.

Iran has repeatedly denied seeking a nuclear weapon, claiming that its uranium-enrichment process is for civilian use. Experts say that this is not credible, however, given Iran has enriched uranium to at least 60 per cent, well above the purity needed for non-military purposes. The country’s leadership is currently battling severe economic problems, leading analysts to believe that there are real incentives for it to seek a deal that lessens the burden of sanctions.

In Israel, the security establishment is fearful Mr Trump will agree a deal that, in reality, does not control the ability of Iran – a country that has repeatedly vowed to wipe Israel off the map – to acquire a bomb. On Thursday, Rafael Grossi, the UN nuclear watchdog chief, met Mohammad Eslami, the chief of Iran’s atomic energy agency, before the fresh round of talks between Tehran and Washington on Saturday in Rome. It came as Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, visited Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin.

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