Israel has reportedly ordered its military to step up readiness for possible strikes on Iran, while Tehran has warned that it would widen any conflict beyond the region if it is attacked. Israeli media reported on Wednesday evening that the security cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had directed the military to intensify preparations for an attack on Iran.
The reports come as diplomatic efforts intensify to avert further fighting and reach a negotiated settlement. Several officials and commentators quoted in the coverage said the situation remains fragile, with both sides signalling that the next steps could determine whether the conflict escalates.
Israeli cabinet orders military readiness amid domestic dispute
Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that the directives issued by the security cabinet could lead the military to carry out activities that might trigger a war. The directives were made public after opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot issued a statement urging Netanyahu, who is serving as prime minister in a caretaker capacity, not to deploy the military without a direct and immediate threat until a new government is formed.
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Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered Eisenkot the chance to form a new government over the weekend. The offer followed the loss of a parliamentary majority by Netanyahu’s ruling coalition in the October elections.
According to the reports, Netanyahu is on the verge of losing power if the opposition succeeds in forming a government. He has been adamant that the war on Iran will continue until the government in Tehran collapses, the reports said.
Iran threatens wider retaliation against US forces
Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, warned in a social media post that if the United States launched another war against Iran, every military base involved in the aggression, from West Asia to Europe, would become a legitimate target for Iran’s lethal strikes. He added that there would be no safe distance, no safe haven and no immunity.
A correspondent reporting from Tehran said that Iranian leaders have been discussing whether to appoint the hawkish Rezaei as Iran’s new chief negotiator. The correspondent said that voices in the capital have argued that Iran will not wait indefinitely if the current situation continues for a long period and might take pre-emptive action.
The current lead negotiator, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has spoken about Iran’s determination to move beyond the state of “no war, no peace” through “sustainable deterrence” if negotiations fail. In an interview with published on Wednesday, he said the Strait of Hormuz would “never return” to its status before the US-Israel war on Iran. He also said that “the ball is now in the American court”.
Ghalibaf pointed to the core obstacle to a deal. “What stands in the way of an agreement is our lack of trust in the United States,” he said.
Trump and Rubio signal diplomacy as oil prices swing
US President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to return to waging war if a diplomatic track offered by Qatar fails to produce a deal between Washington and Tehran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the administration’s economic pressure campaign against Iran is proving so effective that a resumption of large-scale military operations is unnecessary.
A reporter in Washington said Trump is still justifying why he went to war with Iran and maintaining that the conflict would end soon. The reporter said that both Trump and Rubio had signalled that large-scale military engagement was over, and that they would not restart it unless Iran crossed red lines. The reporter added that there appeared to be movement behind the scenes towards a settlement.
US Central Command said American forces continue to work around the clock to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for commercial shipping. It also said forces are strictly enforcing what it called an “ironclad” naval blockade against Iran.
Oil markets reacted to the diplomatic uncertainty. Prices rose about 1 percent on Wednesday after Tehran rejected a US proposal to transfer its stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium to a third country. Brent futures settled $1.27, or 1.39 percent, higher at $92.76 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 49 cents, or 0.57 percent, to $86.53.
In the previous session, prices had initially fallen by more than $3 a barrel after US officials downplayed the need for further military strikes against Iran. Prices later recovered some of those losses when an Iranian official said no talks were taking place between the two sides.
