Israel considering striking Iran in coming days - without US support - report
Additionally, on Wednesday, the US authorized the evacuation of certain personnel in Iraq in anticipation of a potential Israeli strike on Iran.
Israel is considering taking military action against Iran, most likely without US support, in the coming days, five sources told NBC on Thursday.
This comes shortly after a CBS report in which multiple sources stated that Israel has told US officials that it is "fully ready to launch an operation into Iran."
Iran's military has begun drills earlier than planned to focus on "enemy movements," state media reported later on Thursday afternoon.
A "friendly" regional country alerted Tehran over a potential military strike, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday, adding that Iran will not abandon its right to uranium enrichment because of mounting frictions in the region.
The official said the tensions were intended to "influence Tehran to change its position about its nuclear rights" during talks with the United States on Sunday in Muscat, which were confirmed to be taking place by the Omani Foreign Minister on Thursday morning.
The Pentagon also green-lit the departure of military family members across the Middle East.
US military dependents leaving the region does not constitute a threat, a senior Iranian security official told Iran's Press TV on Thursday, in response to the news.
The US Embassy in Baghdad advised American citizens on Thursday against traveling to Iraq, Reuters reported.
Iraq says its intelligence and field reports show no threats to diplomatic missions, the state news agency reported.
The US Embassy in Bahrain on Thursday denied reports that it was evacuating personnel, adding that staffing and operations remain unchanged and activities continue as normal.
Talks to continue despite doubts over Iran
US Vice President JD Vance said at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday that he did not know if Iran wanted a nuclear weapon, shortly after a source familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post there is "definitely a chance" that a sixth round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran will not take place.US President Donald Trump addressed the situation on his way to the Kennedy Center, telling a reporter who asked why dependents of US military personnel are being authorized to leave the Middle East, "You'll have to see, thank you."
"[US personnel in the Middle East] are being moved out. It could be a dangerous place. We'll see what happens. Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. We won't allow it," he later stated.
Trump previously expressed his lack of hope of achieving a deal. “I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made,” Trump told The New York Post.
Tensions in the Middle East have also led to CENTCOM head US Army General Michael "Erik" Kurilla postponing the testimony he was set to give in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Reuters reported.
Iran recently threatened to strike US bases if negotiations fail
If nuclear negotiations fail and conflict arises with the United States, Iran will strike American bases in the region, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday."Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don't come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us... all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries," Nasirzadeh said during a press conference.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with bombing if it does not reach a new nuclear deal, including a post on Truth Social stating that “in the days ahead… the US Army will heap glory upon glory.”
“You will protect every inch of US soil - and you will defend America to the ends of the earth!” Trump wrote.
Reuters contributed to this report.
