Israeli source says new Iran strikes are a matter of time

An Israeli source says Israel will hit Iranian nuclear sites again if Tehran crosses red lines, hardening an already tense standoff.

An Israeli source says a new round of strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities appears to be a matter of time. The source says Israel will act again if Iran crosses red lines, though it did not specify what those lines are.

The warning lands on a standoff that has already shut down regional air and sea traffic. Iranian airlines have cancelled all flights to the UAE, and 80% to 90% of Iran's external flights are grounded, Treasury Secretary Bessent has said. Iran says the Strait of Hormuz stays closed until Washington accepts a safe-passage deal reached with Oman, and has set a four to five day deadline for a response. The United States has rejected an earlier Iranian proposal to reopen the strait.

Iranian officials have raised the possibility that the conflict spreads beyond the two countries. Security Council Secretary Ali Rezaei says further US escalation could open a second front at the Bab el-Mandeb strait, and Iranian commander Safavi has said the next phase of the conflict could reach the Indian Ocean. Brent crude has climbed to $105.38 a barrel as the standoff has developed.

Diplomacy has stalled even as indirect talks continue and Iran says it remains willing to negotiate. The Israeli signal removes ambiguity about when a new strike might come and raises the chance of a direct military exchange between Israel and Iran, one that could choke off shipping and energy supplies across the region. Oil markets have already priced in some disruption risk, but a clearer strike timeline adds pressure on risk assets and on equities that depend on stable energy costs.