Israel 'preparing for strike on Iran nuclear facilities': report

Israel could be preparing for a possible strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, reportedly holding five meetings regarding military readiness for such an attack in the past week, a source told Israeli Channel 12 on Tuesday.

Nir Dvori, an Israeli expert on military affairs, said that the meetings were attended by the defence minister, army chief-of-staff, the head of the National Security Council, and head of Israeli intelligence.

He claimed that officials agreed to raise the state of alert and readiness for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Dvori added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that "if the world did nothing" about Iran's nuclear programme" then "Israel will have to do something itself".

He also quoted Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant as saying that "the Iranian threat had to return to the top of the world's priority list".

Dvori added that the new Israeli threats were in response to a reported 86 percent enrichment of uranium by Iran, claiming that Tehran was close to producing a nuclear bomb.

Israel has often threatened to attack Iran's nuclear facilities and is believed to be responsible for the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists.

On Tuesday, Tamir Hayman, the former head of Israel's military intelligence body AMAN, told Israeli media that "the strategy against Iran had failed".

"The [2015] nuclear agreement has failed and a military option must be prepared," he was quoted as saying.