The Trump administration came “very close” to approving a strike on Iran on at least one recent occasion, several sources familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
The revelation follows comments by US President Donald Trump in Atlanta, Georgia, last week, telling reporters to "wait till you see what we do to Iran."
Trump has said the US will not bomb Iran again before November 3. However, Iranian officials told Reuters on Tuesday that Tehran continues to expect that bombing will resume, sooner or later.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that he spoke with Trump on Sunday about the importance of eliminating Iran's regime.
"We are committed to completing the elimination of the Iranian regime," Netanyahu said in a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). "I have discussed this with Trump many times, including the day before yesterday."
Netanyahu made the comments during a speech at the new Kiryat Shmona-Tel Hai University to open the academic year, noting that "the elimination of Hezbollah and peace with Lebanon will also come" alongside the fall of the Islamic regime.
"We have completely transformed the picture (in northern Israel), thanks to our heroic soldiers and the warfare that took place here," he said. "We have essentially destroyed all the massive terrorist infrastructure both underground and above ground. But we are also committed... to completing the task, which means toppling the terrorist regime in Iran, the head of this venomous octopus. You sever it, and it will fall."
Netanyahu: Iran's regime will continue nuclear, proxy efforts 'as long as it lives'
Netanyahu described the regime as "so fanatical" that it will continue its nuclear ambitions and attempt to rebuild its terror proxy axis "as long as it lives."
"Therefore, the only way to prevent this is to topple this regime," said Netanayhu. "The elimination of Hezbollah will come in parallel."