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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a series of high-level security consultations Sunday evening focused on Iran and the prospect of a wider regional conflict, according to Israeli media reports.
Channel 12 reported that the discussions will culminate in a meeting of the Security Cabinet, convened against a backdrop of growing assessments within Israel that the United States may be preparing to strike Iran.
The Security Cabinet is expected to be briefed on developments across several fronts, with Iran at the center of the agenda. Before the full cabinet session, Netanyahu is also set to hold a smaller, more focused meeting to review the situation in Lebanon and with Hezbollah, as well as potential scenarios in the event of a military clash involving Israel, the US and Iran.
Israeli assessments suggest Tehran may attempt to stall by putting forward new proposals related to its nuclear program, the broadcaster reported.
Despite signals that Israel would prefer to avoid being seen at the forefront of any military action, Israeli sources have characterized the current moment as a "historic opportunity" to reshape the nature of the Iranian regime and reduce long-term security threats.
The consultations come as the US has in recent weeks bolstered its military presence in the Middle East, signaling the possibility of using force to compel Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and to rein in its regional allies.
Washington and its ally Israel accuse Iran of working to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, maintaining that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, including electricity generation.
Iran has accused the US and Israel of manufacturing pretexts for intervention and regime change, warning it would respond to any military attack. Tehran has reiterated its willingness to accept restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of Western economic sanctions.
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