Israeli officials reportedly warn Iran's ballistic missiles could trigger solo military action against Tehran

As U.S.-Iran diplomacy remains chiefly focused connected Tehran’s atomic program, Israeli officials and analysts pass that ballistic missiles stay a cardinal reddish enactment for Jerusalem and could signifier immoderate determination connected unilateral action.

Before departing for his travel to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said helium plans to property Israel’s priorities successful the talks. "I volition contiguous to the president our views regarding the principles of the negotiations — the important principles — and, successful my view, they are important not lone for Israel, but for anyone successful the satellite who wants bid and information successful the Middle East."

Those priorities, Israeli officials say, widen beyond the atomic record and see Iran’s rocket capabilities. Israeli defence officials person precocious warned U.S. counterparts that Iran’s ballistic rocket programme constitutes an existential menace to Israel and that Jerusalem is prepared to enactment unsocial if necessary, according to reporting by The Jerusalem Post.

‘ISRAEL IS ONLY THE APPETIZER’: HUCKABEE WARNS IRAN THREAT LOOMS AS NETANYAHU EYES TRUMP TALKS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boards his level for Washington, D.C., up of a gathering with President Trump. Feb. 10, 2025. (Avi Ohayon / GPO (Government Press Office))

The outlet reported that Israeli information officials conveyed successful caller weeks their intent to dismantle Iran’s rocket capabilities and accumulation infrastructure done a bid of high-level exchanges with Washington. Military planners outlined imaginable operational concepts aimed astatine degrading the program, including strikes connected cardinal manufacturing and improvement sites.

A spokesperson for Israel’s defence curate declined to remark connected the issue.

Sima Shine, a erstwhile elder Israeli quality authoritative and existent elder researcher astatine the Institute for National Security Studies, told Fox News Digital that limiting talks to the atomic contented risks missing what Israel considers the broader threat.

IRAN REPORTEDLY DEVELOPING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL MISSILE WARHEADS AS PROTESTS SPREAD OVER COLLAPSING ECONOMY

Israel's aerial defence targets Iranian missiles successful the entity of Tel Aviv successful Israel, connected June 16, 2025. (Matan Golan/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

"If negotiations woody lone with the atomic record and disregard the missiles, Israel volition stay exposed," Shine said. "Iran treats its ballistic rocket programme arsenic its main deterrence and volition not springiness it up," stressing that Tehran views them arsenic a antiaircraft and deterrent capableness dictated by the ultimate leader, arsenic Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his state would not negociate connected its ballistic rocket program, rejecting a halfway U.S. request and further dimming prospects for a breakthrough deal. Shine described that stance arsenic a cardinal reddish enactment for Israel. 

She besides warned that Tehran whitethorn beryllium stalling diplomatically portion assessing whether Washington volition bounds the talks to atomic constraints alone.

"They person country to amusement flexibility connected enrichment," she said, noting that enactment slowed aft strikes connected facilities, "but missiles are different. That they would not discuss."

Israeli concerns widen beyond the negotiating table. A erstwhile quality authoritative acquainted with strategical readying said Israel retains the capableness to onslaught independently if necessary.

TRUMP WARNS IRAN, DELAYS STRIKES AS RED LINE DEBATE ECHOES OBAMA’S SYRIA MOMENT

Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted arsenic seen from Tel Aviv, Israel, June 15, 2025. (Tomer Neuberg/Reuters)

"Israel tin enactment by itself if determination is nary choice," the erstwhile authoritative said, adding that rocket enlargement and determination threats would beryllium cardinal triggers.

Shine says that the optics of Israeli unit connected Washington could complicate matters.

"If missiles go the cardinal nationalist demand, it whitethorn look arsenic if Israel is pushing the U.S. toward subject action," she said. "If that fails, Israel could beryllium blamed."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, President Donald Trump's Special Representative for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff and U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner conscionable up of the U.S.-Iran talks, successful Muscat, the superior of Oman, connected Feb. 6, 2026.  (Oman Foreign Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)

She added that Iran’s rocket arsenal is not aimed solely astatine Israel but forms portion of a broader deterrence strategy against the United States and determination adversaries.

For Israel, the accusation is clear. A atomic statement that leaves Iran’s rocket infrastructure untouched could beryllium seen successful Jerusalem arsenic stabilizing the authorities portion leaving the astir contiguous menace successful place. That calculation, Israeli analysts say, defines the reddish line.