In a dramatic assessment delivered in the waning days of the Biden administration, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Israel is seriously considering launching significant military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities this year, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

According to WSJ’s sources, the intelligence analysis—compiled around the turn of the new year—highlighted Israel’s intent to exploit Iran’s current vulnerabilities. The assessment warned that such a strike could trigger an explosive escalation in the region, especially given Iran’s past threats of massive retaliation. With Tehran reeling from a year of crippling Israeli attacks on its military infrastructure and the devastating losses suffered by its proxy forces, Israeli leaders reportedly see a fleeting window of opportunity to dismantle what they perceive as an existential nuclear threat.

The intelligence report also suggests that Israeli officials anticipated greater support for such an operation from President Donald Trump than they had under President Biden. According to multiple sources, Israeli leadership believed Trump would be more likely to endorse or even actively participate in a preemptive strike against Iran’s fortified nuclear sites. A second intelligence assessment—produced in the opening days of Trump’s administration—reaffirmed that Israel remains poised to act.

The complexity of such an operation, military analysts say, would likely require U.S. munitions and logistical support, given the deep underground fortifications protecting Iran’s nuclear facilities. While Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office has remained silent on the matter, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz signaled in November that Tehran’s vulnerability had never been greater.

“Iran is more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities,” Katz said. “We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal—to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel.”

While Iran has long vowed a crushing response to any attack on its nuclear program, the country’s military and political standing have been severely weakened. Over the past year, Israel has systematically dismantled much of Hezbollah’s top leadership and depleted the arsenal of the Iranian-backed militia. Iran’s air defenses have been crippled, and its conventional military capabilities have suffered under relentless Israeli precision strikes.

Compounding these challenges, the Iranian regime now faces a deepening economic crisis, exacerbated by severe Western sanctions, internal corruption, and mismanagement. The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria—an essential Iranian ally—has further eroded Tehran’s ability to project power in the region. Meanwhile, recent Iranian missile strikes against Israel have been largely ineffective, failing to inflict significant damage.

Despite its weakened position, Iran’s government has cautiously signaled a willingness to negotiate. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian recently told state media, “If the main obstacle for the U.S. is Iran pursuing nuclear weapons, then that can be resolved. Iran’s stance on nuclear weapons is clear.”

In December, U.S. intelligence issued its starkest warning yet, concluding that Iran is inching closer to developing a nuclear weapon. The report noted that while Iran has long publicly renounced the pursuit of nuclear arms, a growing domestic debate suggests the regime may be reconsidering its position. With the regional balance shifting dramatically, Israel appears to be weighing its most consequential military decision in decades.

Military experts warn that any Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites would need to be swift, devastating, and strategically exhaustive to prevent Tehran from quickly rebuilding. The potential for an all-out war looms over the region, with the timing of any Israeli strike likely hinging on ongoing U.S.-Israeli negotiations and the fragile cease-fires in Gaza and Lebanon.

For now, President Trump has indicated a preference for diplomacy but has not ruled out backing Israeli military action should talks with Iran collapse. Last week, he signed a national security memorandum reinstating his administration’s “maximum pressure” policy against Tehran.

“Reports that the United States, working in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into smithereens, ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)