Axios: Biden Should Consider Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities

Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, presented options for a potential U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities during a meeting held a few weeks ago that has remained confidential until now. This information was disclosed to Axios by three sources familiar with the matter. In a report published by Axios on Thursday, these unnamed sources stated that President Biden did not authorize an attack during this meeting and has not done so since. According to the report, Biden and his national security team discussed various options and scenarios during the meeting held nearly a month ago, but the President did not make a final decision. An American official familiar with the matter said that this meeting was not convened due to new information and did not aim for a definitive decision from Biden. Instead, it was part of planning cautious scenarios to determine how the U.S. should respond if the Iranian government takes actions such as enriching uranium to 90% purity before January 20. Another source told Axios that there is currently no active discussion in the White House regarding a potential military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. According to this American official, Sullivan did not make any recommendations to Biden on this issue and only discussed planning various scenarios. The White House declined to comment. One source indicated that Biden focused on the urgency of the Iranian nuclear file and was assessing whether Iran had taken steps that would justify a sudden military attack weeks before the new President takes office. The Iranian government has long claimed that it is not seeking to produce nuclear weapons and that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. However, in recent months, especially following setbacks to its proxy forces and air defense in Israeli airstrikes, several current and former Iranian officials have publicly discussed the possibility of a change in Iran's nuclear doctrine. Two Israeli media outlets reported that the head of Mossad called for an attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran. An Israeli diplomat stated that with Trump's arrival, the Iranian government does not have the 'courage' to build a nuclear weapon. Israeli media reported that Iran and Yemen are two options for Netanyahu to respond to the Houthis, with Netanyahu asserting that he will prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.