Something feels like it’s brewing in the Middle East, and the pieces of the puzzle are starting to look suspiciously like a plan to take out Iran’s nuclear program.

It’s not hard to imagine the United States and Israel, long-time allies with a shared concern about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, plotting a massive operation to put an end to the Islamist regime’s atomic dreams. But is that really what’s happening? Let’s look at the signs—and there are a few eyebrow-raising ones.

First, there’s the quiet visit from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief to Israel on Monday. This wasn’t a publicized handshake with press cameras flashing; it was low-key, almost under-the-radar. He met with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and top defense officials. What were they talking about? The weather? Unlikely.

CENTCOM oversees U.S. military operations across the Middle East, and Israel’s leadership doesn’t exactly host unannounced drop-ins for casual chats. Iran’s nuclear program has to be a contender for the top of their agenda.

Then there’s what’s happening in Israel itself. Classified sessions focusing on Iran have been cropping up, shrouded in secrecy. These aren’t the kind of meetings you hold to discuss trade deals or tourism. They’re the sort that involve maps, targets, and contingency plans.

And just today, we learned that Netanyahu’s scheduled testimony—part of his ongoing legal saga—has been abruptly canceled. Why? Could it be that he’s too busy preparing for something much bigger than a courtroom appearance?

Now, let’s zoom out to the bigger picture: the United States’ role. A massive bombardment of Iran’s nuclear facilities would almost certainly require American involvement—whether it’s intelligence, logistics, or firepower. But there’s a major hitch: Russia.

Moscow’s alliance with Tehran is no secret, and any attack on Iran could enrage the Kremlin, potentially escalating into a broader conflict involving Russian forces. That’s a headache Washington would rather avoid.

Yet, something odd happened on Monday.  The U.S. voted against a UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—a move that’s raising eyebrows, especially given America’s historically firm stance against Moscow’s aggression. Even with President Trump’s warmer tone toward Russia compared to Biden, this is a departure from the norm.

Could there be a deal in play? It’s not hard to speculate that the U.S. might be offering Russia some breathing room on Ukraine in exchange for a quiet nod to go after Iran.

An under-the-table agreement like that would be a geopolitical bombshell, but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. Trump’s administration has shown a willingness to cut unconventional deals, and neutralizing Iran’s nuclear threat could be worth the trade-off in Washington’s eyes.

Of course, this is all conjecture. Maybe the CENTCOM visit was routine, the classified sessions are about something else entirely, and Netanyahu’s testimony got postponed for mundane reasons. Maybe the U.S. vote at the UN was just a quirk of diplomacy. But when you line these events up, they start to paint a picture—one that’s hard to ignore.

If the U.S. and Israel are indeed plotting a strike, the next few days and weeks could get very loud, very fast. Whatever’s coming, it’s worth keeping an eye on. The Middle East has a way of surprising us, and this might just be the calm before the storm.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)