Iran’s concerns stem from uncertainty over whether the United States can convince Israel not to attack Iranian nuclear sites and oil facilities, and from the fact that its most important militia in the region, Hezbollah, has been in conflict with the Israeli military in recent weeks. The campaigns have been significantly weakened, sources said.
The United States is consulting with Israel on how it plans to respond to Iran’s October 1 attack, and U.S. officials have made clear that they do not want Israel to target Iranian nuclear sites or oil fields. Make it. US President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, their first conversation in nearly two months, telling him Israel’s retaliation should be “proportionate”.
America’s Gulf allies, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar, have also expressed concerns to the United States about a potential attack on Iranian oil facilities, which could have negative economic and environmental impacts for the entire region, an Arab diplomat told CNN. can cause.
The Biden administration is deeply concerned that the ongoing attacks between Iran and Israel, which began after Israel attacked its consular building in Damascus earlier this year, could escalate into a major regional war in which the United States Will also be included.
A large part of the fears are that America’s influence with Israel has seen it steadily decline over the past year. Like its operations in Gaza, Israel has ignored US calls for greater restraint in Lebanon, where Israel’s intense bombing campaign and ground offensive since late last month has killed more than 1,400 people.
Before Israel could carry out a major attack that blew up thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah operatives last month, or kill top Hezbollah official Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, derailing a fragile ceasefire agreement. It also failed to consult with the United States before the landing which had been submitted by the United States and France less than 48 hours earlier.
An Israeli official told CNN on Friday that the Israeli security cabinet has not yet decided on how to proceed. And although the gap between the US and Israel’s positions is narrowing, it cannot remain that way, a US official said.
A senior government official said of Israeli cabinet discussions, “We can’t really know whether they voted or not,” expressing skepticism about the level of transparency of what Israel is sharing with the United States. Said. The official suggested that they “cannot give too much credit to the Israeli government’s plans”.
According to CNN report, till last week Israel had not given any guarantee that it would not target Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Israel has been planning an attack on Iran’s nuclear capabilities for decades and just two years ago simulated attacking them in a military exercise. Israel is also suspected of carrying out assassinations against Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years, and there have been cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, probably from Israel, the most famous being the Stuxnet virus, which managed to penetrate the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran. Remained.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant issued a stern warning to Iran on Wednesday over his country’s response.
“Our attack will be powerful, precise and above all, surprising. “They won’t understand what happened or how it happened,” Gallant said.
In general, Gulf states are keen to stay out of the conflict, the Arab diplomat said. Although Iran has publicly warned that any party that helps Israel will be treated as an aggressor, Iran’s neighbors are also unlikely to explicitly defend Tehran in the event of an Israeli attack.
But Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have told both the United States and Iran that they will not allow Israel to use their airspace to attack Iran, the Arab diplomat and another source familiar with the matter said. Told CNN. A Jordanian official said that Jordan would protect its airspace from any unauthorized intrusions, regardless of the source.
The United States does not believe Iran wants to engage in a full-scale war with Israel, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera this week that Netanyahu is “the only person who wants war and to remain in the region.” “Setting fire.” Power.”
But the United States has still urged Tehran through back channels to moderate its response if Israel attacks, one official said.
Although Qatar regularly talks to the Iranians and reports what they say to the United States, the U.S. official said ultimately “we don’t know what (Iran) will do.” Another US official said key voices inside Iran would have different ideas about whether and how to respond to Israel, but it would depend on the scale and scope of the long-awaited Israeli move.
The official said Iran’s messaging publicly and privately has been consistent and there has been no significant change since Tehran began firing missiles at Israel earlier this month.
Iran is particularly interested in getting help from Saudi Arabia to stop the Israeli attack and use its influence with Washington to help find a solution to the crisis, an Arab diplomat told CNN.
Officials from each country have met three times in less than a month, and Araghchi on Wednesday called on Saudi Arabia to “consult on regional developments” and “try to stop the crimes of the Zionist regime in Lebanon and Gaza.” Travelled, he told reporters. local media.
The world is watching Israel’s every move and considering how to respond. But at least until Saturday evening, Israel will remain silent to celebrate Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the year in Judaism. And although it is not impossible that Israel might initiate any action, shops, restaurants and other services would be closed, public transportation would not operate and even the country’s main airport, Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv, would be closed. Will be done.
CNN’s Kayla Touche, Dania Karni and Katie Bo Lillis contributed reporting.