Israel is ready to launch an operation against Iran: what is known
Kyiv • UNN
US officials have received information about Israel's full readiness for an operation in Iran. The US is evacuating personnel from the Middle East due to tensions.
Senior United States officials have been informed that Israel is fully prepared to launch an operation in Iran. At the same time, the American side still hopes for the success of negotiations with Tehran, CBS News reports with reference to its own sources, writes UNN.
Details
The US expects Iran to strike certain US facilities in neighboring Iraq. This is one of the reasons why the US advised some Americans to leave the region earlier on Wednesday. The State Department ordered non-essential government officials to leave Iraq due to "escalating regional tensions", and the Pentagon allowed military family members to voluntarily leave locations throughout the Middle East.
President Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is still planning to meet with Iran at the sixth round of talks on the country's nuclear program in the coming days, two US officials said.
Trump spoke about Iran during a speech at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, telling reporters that Americans had been advised to leave the region "because it could be a dangerous place and we'll see what happens." The White House chief also reiterated that the US does not want Iran to develop nuclear weapons, saying, "We're not going to allow that."
When Trump was asked why military families were allowed to leave the region voluntarily, he replied: "You'll have to see."
Meanwhile, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh told reporters on Wednesday that if nuclear talks fail and "we are forced into conflict," the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps "will target all US bases in host countries."
On Wednesday, the British Maritime Trade Organization advised ships to be cautious in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman - three key waterways for global oil trade - due to "rising tensions in the region that could lead to an escalation of military activity."
Israeli officials and White House spokesmen declined to comment on the situation.
Addition
The US began evacuating non-essential personnel from diplomatic and military missions in the Middle East due to rising tensions between Iran and Israel.