Israel assured US it won’t strike Iran unless talks fail - Axios

Israel reassured the White House that it will not launch a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities unless President Donald Trump concludes that negotiations with Tehran have failed, Axios reported on Thursday, citing two Israeli officials with direct knowledge.

Israeli officials conveyed the message during a visit to Washington last week by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Mossad Director David Barnea and National Security Adviser Tzahi Hanegbi, according to the report.

“We calmed the Americans and told them there is no logic in launching an attack if a good diplomatic solution can be found,”Axios quoted one Israeli official as saying.

“This is why we are going to give it a chance and wait with any military action until it is clear that negotiations were exhausted and [White House envoy] Steve Witkoff has given up.”

The report cited a senior Israeli official as saying that while the Israel Defense Forces are constantly training for a possible strike against Iran, the US and other countries had misread recent IDF activity ahead of strikes on the Houthis in Yemen as preparations for imminent action against Iran.