Israeli intelligence services claim that the United States is preparing a "significant" plan for a large-scale military campaign aimed at regime change in Iran. Anonymous sources from the Mossad, Shin Bet, and Aman intelligence agenciestold Kan News television that the Pentagon is not working on this alone.
Before the protests began, US President Donald Trump suggested that "if the Iranian people want regime change," Washington would help the demonstrators. Against the backdrop of unrest, with many participants calling for the return of the Shah (king) of the Pahlavi dynasty, discussions about this extreme option have resumed.
In recent days, the US Department of War has moved a "massive army" across the Indian Ocean, a historical term referring to the Spanish colonial navy. The number of troops has increased to nearly 50,000, of which 10,000are stationedat the al-Udeid base in Qatar. The rest are deployed at bases in Jordan, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
According to Trump, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincolnisat the head of the extensive naval contingent. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) therefore warned in its regular assessment that the United States "will definitely not leave the situation in Iran as it is."
Kan News recalled the visit of the head of Aman to the White House earlier this week. General Shlomi Binder met with senior officials from the Pentagon and the White House. His visit was followed by that of Mossad director David Barnea.
The right-wing daily Israel Hayomreported onthe content of Binder's meeting, according to which the White House presented several plans to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran, including selected bombing targets. According to sources from the Ministry of Defense, representatives from Britain, France, "three Gulf countries," and another Arab country participated in the creation of the list of targets.
Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks with the Saudi delegation after the Russian-Ukrainian talks in Abu Dhabi. The newspaper probablyreferred toSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the "Gulf states." Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait are also possible candidates.
Hayom also noted that anti-Iranian sentiment in the Middle East is not a given. Several countries have banned US and allied fighter jets from flying over their territory. Only Azerbaijan has done so officially, with the Israeli newspaper not naming any other states.
Hayom's source in the Israeli cabinet noted that the EU's decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization "significantly contributes" to the isolation of the Shiite regime. The parallel army allegedly has no funds to pay the guards' salaries.
Trump is also considering "new measures against Iran," according to the New York Times. After the protests in Iran subsided, the president's aides toughened their proposals, which include "the possibility of US forces conducting raids directly in Iran." Trump has not yet authorized any of these plans.
Last June, as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, the Americans bombed the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities, where the Iranian government enriches uranium—officially for the Bushehr nuclear power plant on the Persian Gulf coast. According to the US and Israel, they are working towards the purity of the isotope needed for a nuclear weapon.
The American attacks with B-2 bombers were the culmination of what Trump called the 12-day war on his Truth Social network. Western countries and the media are ignoring the fact that the first attack on June 13 was carried out by Israel.
Unlike in the summer of 2025, this time an unexpected ally of Tehran is entering the game: China. The Chinese secret service's technical operations are aimed at uncovering Israeli infiltration into the Iranian state and political apparatus. All this is happening against the backdrop of Iran's purchase of defense technologies from Beijing.
The Iranian government's recently adopted 15th five-year development plan envisages support for Iran's defense, cyber, and space sectors with the aim of "fortifying" the Islamic Republic against American and Israeli sabotage.
This move raises questions that the Modern Diplomacy portal has attempted to answer. The reason for China's actions in favor of Iran is that Beijing perceives the destabilization of theocracy as "a fundamental threat to its economic interests in terms of the One Belt, One Road initiative."
"At the same time, we understand that China considers Israeli intelligence incursions into Iran to be a 'security test' and a challenge for its strategic partner," the portal added.