Published On 5/13/2026
In conjunction with the continuing push and pull over the future of the war against Iran, Israel is witnessing a state of maximum security and military alert, and anticipation of the outcome of the ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran, according to what the American CNN network reported from an Israeli official.
The network, quoting the Israeli official – whose identity was not revealed – indicated that there is growing concern in Israel that US President Donald Trump will accept a “bad agreement” with Tehran.
Citing other sources, the network reported that Israel would consider the war on Iran “incomplete” if an agreement was reached that would leave Iran’s nuclear program partially intact and ignore the issues of ballistic missiles and support for its regional allies.
Before his visit to China, today, Wednesday, and tomorrow, Thursday, Trump said that Washington is only seeking to conclude a “good agreement” with Iran, stressing his rejection of Tehran possessing a nuclear weapon.
What is the reason for Israel’s fears?
The sources stated that Israel feels nervous about the possibility of concluding an agreement with Iran before addressing some of the main issues that prompted Washington and Tel Aviv to launch a second war against Iran on February 28, most notably uranium enrichment and the ballistic missile system. The two sides had bombed Iranian nuclear reactors in the first round of the military confrontation in June 2025.
The American-Israeli war on Iran continued for about 40 days, and then on April 7, Washington and Tehran reached, through Pakistani mediation, a temporary, indefinite truce, while the ongoing negotiations between them only led to further divergence of opinions.
The source of Israeli fears – according to what was reported by CNN – comes from speculation in Tel Aviv that the issues of Iran’s ballistic missiles and support for its regional allies “have been removed from the negotiating table.”
Israel does not hide its strong desire to resume the war against Iran, despite the loss of life and infrastructure it faced as a result of Iranian bombing during the recent war.
In this regard, CNN reported an Israeli official saying, “We will be happy if an agreement is not reached between the United States and Iran, if the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues, and if Iran receives a few additional strikes.”
In an interview with the “60 Minutes” program on the American CBS News channel, broadcast last Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that the war had not yet achieved its full goals, stressing that the threat related to Iran’s regional allies and its ballistic missile program still exists.
Netanyahu said that Israel was able to weaken an important part of those capabilities, “but there is still much that needs to be done,” in a reference that reflects his desire to drag US President Donald Trump into a new war against Iran.
What alternative is offered against Iran?
An informed source confirmed to CNN that the United States and Israel continued to coordinate on possible military plans in Iran, which include launching strikes on energy and infrastructure facilities and assassination operations if the talks fail.
NBC quoted an American official as saying that Trump is considering several options to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and break the Iranian blockade, but he confirmed that Trump did not issue orders to resume large-scale combat operations.
This comes amid a division within the Trump administration regarding how to deal with Iran in the next stage, between a team calling for intensifying pressure on Tehran, including directing specific strikes to strengthen Washington’s position at the negotiating table, and another team that clings to the option of diplomacy to give the negotiating path an additional opportunity, according to a report published by CNN yesterday.
The US military is considering an option to rename the war with Iran “Operation Heavy Hammer” if the current ceasefire collapses and Trump decides to resume combat operations, according to what NBC quoted US officials as saying.
This comes after Iran’s recent rejection of the American proposal during the ongoing negotiations mediated by Pakistan in an effort to end the war permanently, a response that had angered Trump, which he said was “completely unacceptable.”
What is Iran’s position on escalation?
The Iranian response focused on consolidating the end of the war in various arenas, especially Lebanon, and included demands for compensation for the losses caused by the conflict, with Tehran affirming its adherence to its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran also called on the United States to stop the naval blockade imposed on the Strait and Iranian ports, and to provide guarantees that new attacks will not be carried out, in addition to lifting economic sanctions and ending US restrictions on the export of Iranian oil.
Trump had said that the Iranian position undermines the ceasefire agreement that has been in place since April 7, hinting at the possibility of returning to the military option against Tehran, a trend toward which Israel is pushing to the maximum extent.
In contrast, the Iranian front seems determined to stand firm in the face of the two most powerful military forces, as Parliament Speaker Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf recently confirmed the readiness of the Revolutionary Guards to respond “firmly and decisively” to any new hostile move.
