A growing divide has emerged between the U.S. and Israel over the urgency of the Iranian nuclear threat. While new US intelligence estimates Iran is at least three years from developing a nuclear weapon, Israel insists Tehran is just months away, citing this as justification for its ongoing military campaign, Operation Rising Lion.
Now in its fifth day, the Israeli offensive has targeted multiple Iranian nuclear sites, though the fortified Fordo facility remains untouched. Israel claims to have crippled Iran’s air defenses and vows to continue strikes until Iran’s nuclear and missile programs are destroyed.
The U.S. has offered logistical and diplomatic support but has stopped short of joining the campaign, reflecting its more cautious assessment. Meanwhile, the conflict has killed at least 225 in Iran and 24 in Israel, with civilians caught in crossfire as both sides trade missile strikes.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned the region is on the “brink of nuclear war,” accusing Iran of pursuing a “forever war.”
