Israel Might Strike Iran Even Without U.S. 

Israel is prepared to strike Iran's ballistic missile sites even without American backing if the Trump administration reaches a nuclear agreement that doesn't address Tehran's growing arsenal, according to a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yaakov Bardugo, speaking as U.S. and Iranian officials prepare to resume talks in Oman, said Israel views Iran's ballistic missiles and regional proxy forces as existential threats on par with Tehran's nuclear program and won't allow diplomatic negotiations to constrain its military options.

"Israel has made clear to Washington that ballistic missiles and proxies must be addressed in any talks with Iran," Bardugo said. He claimed President Trump told Netanyahu during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago that the U.S. wouldn't interfere if Israel moved to eliminate the missile threat, though the White House hasn't confirmed such an understanding.

Bardugo said Trump's current stance remains unclear amid what he described as heavy pressure from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to prioritize diplomacy and restrain Israeli military action. He accused Qatar of acting as "an enemy state using financial influence to shape U.S. decision making."

With the Oman talks set to begin, Bardugo said Israel retains "full freedom of action" and may strike first if missiles are excluded from any agreement. The warning comes as Israel has demonstrated willingness to act unilaterally against Iranian nuclear facilities in the past. Israeli officials have long argued that Iran's ballistic missile program, capable of reaching Israeli territory with increasing accuracy, poses an immediate threat that can't be separated from broader security concerns. Tehran maintains the missiles are purely defensive.