ISRAEL will continue blitzing Iran’s nuclear sites with or without the US joining strikes, Benjamin Netanyahu’s ex-adviser says.
It comes as Donald Trump has revealed he has opened a two-week window for talks as he mulls whether America will
, through press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said there is “a substantial chance of negotiations...with Iran in the near future“.
Trump had previously tried to curb through diplomacy.
He gave Iran’s regime 60 days to – a deadline that passed two days before Israel unleashed unprecedented strikes on last Friday.
Trump has this week been weighing whether to give the green light for the US to step in and deploy a 15-ton .
America’s intervention has repeatedly been touted by Trump, who warned Iran would suffer the “full strength and might”; of his military.
But Netanyahu’s ex-adviser Nadav Shtrauchler – who told The Sun the Israeli PM was preparing to strike Iran alone days before he did – said the embattled nation is prepared to carry on without the US.
He said: “Of course can carry on.
“I think it is going swifter here than people thought when they planned it.
“So Israel can proceed and have many targets to go through.”;
Strategic adviser Shtrauchler said he believes the conflict will end with an agreement being thrashed out – and said America’s involvement could change the course of the conflict.
US participation would most likely involve strikes against Iran’s underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility, considered to be out of reach to all but America’s bunker-buster bombs.
Shtrauchler added: “It’s a different story with the US, both with the military and the geopolitical side. It’s a big deal and will change things.
“It’sgoing to end with an agreement if the regime does not fall, but it is too soon to know that.
“So if the US decides against intervening you wil see more from the Israel side and at some point it will end with an agreement.
“Itwillmakeaneffectandwillchangetheendresult.
“But for now we can see that Israel is working very well itself and we can proceed like this – not without the US support but without the US intervening.”;
It comes as Israel and Iran continue to trade heavy blows – with no sign of de-escalation in the weeklong battle.
European and Iranian officialsmet yesterday in Geneva, and Trump has said he will allow two weeks for negotiations before deciding whether to strike the rogue nation.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi made a condition for renewed talks a ceasefire, saying: “There is no room for negotiations with the U.S. until Israeli aggression stops.”;
Talks later on Friday between Araghchi and officials from the EU ended without a breakthrough after four hours.
No date was set for the next round of talks, aimed at getting Iran back to the negotiating table with the US.
Missiles continued to rain down in Iran and Israel as the talks were held on Friday in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict.
Netanyahu has insisted Israel’s military operation in Iran would continue for as long as it takes to eliminate the “existential threat”; of Iran’s nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles.
Israel’s top general echoed the warning, saying the Israeli military was ready for a prolonged campaign.
Iran previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal.
But after Trump pulled the US unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent.
Access was also restricted access to its nuclear facilities.
Netanyahu signed off a plot to bomb Iran’s nuke facilities last week – killing several of its top generals and nuclear scientists, and striking several nuclear facilities.
Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates.
Most have been shot down by Israel’s multitiered air defenses, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded.
