The US has obtained new intelligence suggesting that Israel is making preparations to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, even as the Trump administration has been pursuing a diplomatic deal with Tehran, multiple US officials familiar with the latest intelligence told CNN.

Such a strike would be a brazen break with President Donald Trump, US officials said.

It could also risk tipping off a broader regional conflict in the Middle East — something the US has sought to avoid since the war in Gaza inflamed tensions beginning in 2023.

Officials caution it’s not clear that Israeli leaders have made a final decision, and that in fact, there is deep disagreement within the US government about the likelihood that Israel will ultimately act.

Whether and how Israel strikes will likely depend on what it thinks of the US negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.

According to a source familiar with the intelligence, the evolving situation is fueled by concerns that any potential U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement under President Donald Trump may not result in the full elimination of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile — a scenario that could prompt unilateral action by Israel.

The mounting alarm is not based solely on public remarks from Israeli leadership. U.S. officials have reportedly intercepted Israeli communications and monitored military movements suggesting that Israel may be preparing for a strike.

Multiple sources with access to this intelligence have described specific military preparations, including the relocation of air munitions and the recent completion of a major air force exercise.

However, analysts caution that such movements may also be strategic posturing designed to exert pressure on Iran to scale back its nuclear ambitions.

This ambiguity illustrates the complex geopolitical dynamics currently confronting the Biden administration.

CNN, which first reported these developments, noted that inquiries to the National Security Council and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office have gone unanswered.

The Israeli Embassy in Washington also declined to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who has positioned himself at the forefront of U.S. diplomatic efforts with Iran, previously issued a stark warning that military action would follow if diplomatic efforts failed.

According to a source familiar with a letter Trump sent to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in mid-March, the former president imposed a 60-day deadline for successful negotiations.

That window has since closed, with more than 60 days having passed since the letter and 38 days since the initial round of talks.

A senior Western diplomat who met with Trump earlier this month confirmed that the former president was only willing to give negotiations a few more weeks before considering the use of force. For now, however, the official U.S. stance remains centered on diplomacy.

This uncertain approach places Israel in a precarious position. Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior U.S. intelligence official with regional expertise, described Israel as being “between a rock and a hard place.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must navigate both the potential fallout from a U.S.-Iran deal that fails to meet Israeli security standards and the risk of straining relations with Trump, who has previously diverged from Israeli policies on key regional issues.

“At the end of the day, the Israeli decision-making is going to be predicated on U.S. policy determinations and actions, and what agreements President Trump does or does not come to with Iran,” said Panikoff.

He added that it is unlikely Netanyahu would greenlight a strike without at least implicit approval from Washington.

As the situation develops, the balance between diplomacy and force remains uncertain — and the risk of escalation looms large.