Israel has informed the United States that it is prepared to carry out unilateral strikes on Iran if necessary, according to Israeli defense officials cited by The Jerusalem Post. Israeli officials conveyed the message during a series of high-level exchanges in recent weeks, warning that Iran's ballistic missile program poses an existential threat to Israel's security.

"We told the Americans we will strike alone if Iran crosses the red line we set on ballistic missiles," one Israeli security source said, adding that while Iran has not yet crossed that threshold, Israeli officials are closely monitoring developments. Israeli military officials have outlined operational plans to dismantle Iran's missile capabilities and production infrastructure, including targeted strikes on key manufacturing facilities. One Israeli defense official described the moment as a "historic opportunity" to significantly degrade Iran's missile program and blunt threats to Israel and neighboring states.

Separately, Israel's Channel 13 reported that the Israel Defense Forces are maintaining active contingency plans for independent strikes on Iran, even as senior U.S. military leadership pushes for de-escalation. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine has reportedly warned Trump administration officials that further escalation risks backfiring and that achieving U.S. objectives through airstrikes alone is unlikely, citing depleted munition stockpiles and limited results from earlier operations.

The reports underscore rising tension between Washington's push for a diplomatic resolution and Jerusalem's insistence on preserving its option to act independently, with regional analysts warning of significant risks should Israel move ahead without U.S. backing.