Israel has drawn up new contingency plans aimed at weakening Iran’s government as Israeli officials grow increasingly frustrated with what they see as delays in Washington over deciding the next phase of the conflict, according to a report in Israel’s Maariv newspaper.
Citing Israeli security sources, analyst Ben Caspit reported that concerns over the absence of a decisive US strategy toward Iran have pushed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to consider alternative options designed to undermine Tehran and reduce its ability to recover from the war.
The report said Israel has also prepared emergency scenarios for the possibility that Iran continues developing its nuclear capabilities while the United States restructures its military deployment across the Middle East.
Recent US military movements have further complicated Israel’s assessment of Washington’s intentions.
Last week, Al-Monitor reported that the US military had begun repositioning forces around Erbil in Iraq as part of preparations for a possible future withdrawal.
At the same time, the deployment of additional aerial refuelling aircraft to Israel and US bases in the region, along with movements by US Central Command linked to preparations for a possible escalation against Iran, have sent mixed signals to Israeli officials.
Washington’s simultaneous preparations for potential military action and plans to reduce parts of its regional troop presence have made it increasingly difficult for Israel to determine the direction of US strategy, Maariv said.
An Israeli security source said Israel is effectively being forced to remain on the sidelines while US President Donald Trump weighs his next steps.
According to the source, Netanyahu currently has limited room to act independently of Washington, particularly with elections approaching.
Any significant Israeli action that runs against Trump’s preferred course could create major political difficulties for Netanyahu, leaving the Israeli government under pressure to maintain restraint and keep unilateral military moves to a minimum.
The reported contingency planning comes amid growing uncertainty in Israel over whether Trump intends to pursue a negotiated arrangement with Tehran or ultimately authorize another major military escalation.
For Israeli planners, the possibility of prolonged US indecision has increased pressure to prepare an alternative strategy focused on containing Iran’s nuclear recovery and weakening the government in Tehran without relying entirely on Washington’s next move.