Jerusalem says it remains outside the confrontation unless Iran attacks Israeli targets or Washington requests assistance
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Israel is closely monitoring the expanding military confrontation between the United States and Iran but is not currently participating, an Israeli official said Sunday evening.
“For now we are outside it, but that could change,” the official told YNet News.
The comments followed another wave of U.S. strikes against targets across Iran. U.S. Central Command said President Donald Trump ordered the attacks in response to Iranian actions restricting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
Iranian media reported multiple explosions, including in Bandar Abbas, a major Iranian port near the entrance to the strait.
Israeli officials believe Tehran is presently seeking to avoid a direct attack on Israel, recognizing that such a move could reignite intense fighting and rapidly expand the conflict.
However, Jerusalem’s position could change immediately if Iran strikes Israeli civilians or military targets. According to the official, Israel would enter the campaign if Washington formally requested its assistance or if Tehran directly pulled Israel into the confrontation.
Tensions briefly rose after Iranian media claimed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had killed three American soldiers in Kuwait. CENTCOM later denied the report, saying all U.S. personnel had been accounted for and that there were no reports of American troops being killed or wounded.
The escalation also comes amid intelligence reportedly shared with Washington concerning concrete Iranian preparations to assassinate Trump while he was visiting Turkey. The intelligence allegedly included statements from senior Iranian officials describing the trip as a rare opportunity.
Following the warning, the U.S. Secret Service reportedly moved Trump out of Ankara aboard Air Force One, which is equipped with advanced defensive systems.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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