Trump Backs Potential Israeli Strikes on Iran Missiles

U.S. Donald Trump informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a December meeting at Mar-a-Lago that he would support Israeli military action against Iran’s ballistic missile program should negotiations with Tehran fail, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.

The disclosure comes as the Trump administration pursues renewed diplomatic engagement with Iran while quietly weighing contingency plans in case talks collapse.

Internal U.S. Deliberations Underway

Two months after the Mar-a-Lago discussion, senior officials within the U.S. military and intelligence community have begun internal talks about how Washington could assist a new round of Israeli strikes on Iran, according to additional U.S. officials cited by CBS News.

The conversations have focused less on whether Israel has the capability to strike and more on how the United States might provide operational support. Among the options under review are aerial refueling for Israeli fighter jets and securing overflight permissions from regional countries along potential strike routes.

However, regional dynamics complicate such planning. Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have publicly stated they would not allow their airspace to be used for strikes on Iran or for retaliatory Iranian attacks on other states. It remains unclear whether any country would authorize overflight access in a crisis scenario.

Naval Show of Force in the Middle East

The strategic discussions coincide with a visible U.S. military buildup. CBS News reported Thursday that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group would be deployed to the Middle East, reinforcing an already significant American presence.

Four U.S. officials told the network the carrier group is expected to redeploy from the Caribbean, positioning substantial firepower within operational range of Iran at a time of heightened regional strain. Speaking at the White House on Friday, Trump characterized the deployment as a precautionary measure should negotiations fail, signaling an effort to strengthen U.S. leverage.

Diplomacy Continues Amid Skepticism

Despite military contingency planning, diplomatic efforts remain active. Netanyahu, who has consistently expressed skepticism toward negotiations with Tehran, traveled to Washington last week for talks with Trump. He has publicly insisted that any agreement must address not only Iran’s nuclear program but also its ballistic missile development and support for regional proxy groups.

Iranian officials, for their part, have indicated a conditional willingness to limit certain uranium enrichment activities in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. However, no written agreement has emerged.

A second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks is scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday. Iranian state media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation are en route for indirect discussions, according to reporting by Associated Press.

Rubio: Diplomacy Preferred, But Uncertainty Remains

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that he has made clear the administration prefers diplomacy in dealing with Iran. He confirmed that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are traveling for “important meetings” related to the negotiations.

“We’ll see how that comes out,” Rubio said, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the talks.

As Washington balances negotiations with Tehran against contingency military planning, the parallel tracks highlight the high-stakes nature of the current moment. With additional U.S. naval power moving into the region and Israeli leaders pressing for broader restrictions on Iran, the coming weeks could prove decisive in determining whether diplomacy prevails or tensions escalate further.