Washington, June 13, 2025 — Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, cautioned Senate Republicans that an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities could provoke a massive Iranian retaliation, potentially overwhelming Israeli defenses and inflicting significant casualties, according to Axios .
In a closed-door briefing last week, Witkoff informed lawmakers that while diplomatic avenues remain open, Israel has “military options on the table” if the current negotiations — facilitated by U.S. mediators in Oman — reach a stalemate x.com+15timesofisrael.com+15timesofisrael.com+15. He emphasized concerns that Iran, which reportedly produces around 50 ballistic missiles monthly, could unleash hundreds in retaliation yahoo.com+10timesofisrael.com+10timesofisrael.com+10.
President Trump, reiterating his preference for diplomacy, said Thursday that an Israeli strike “could very well happen” but urged restraint, noting the parties were “fairly close to a pretty good agreement” timesofisrael.com+7thetimes.co.uk+7timesofisrael.com+7. Meanwhile, the U.S. confirmed it is not party to any planned Israeli action and is focused on protecting its forces in the region .
Iran has in turn issued warnings, suggesting that any Israeli strike—or perceived U.S. complicity—would trigger a forceful counterattack, including possible assaults on American military installations . U.S. intelligence agencies estimate Iran now possesses approximately 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel yahoo.com+15axios.com+15talk995.com+15.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Washington’s priority remains safeguarding American personnel and reaffirmed that any Israeli strike is an Israeli decision alone axios.com+2washingtonpost.com+2washingtonpost.com+2.
Despite the risks, prospects for diplomacy remain fragile. U.S.–Iran nuclear talks are scheduled to resume in Oman this Sunday. Witkoff is expected to lead the American delegation, though his warning suggests the diplomatic window could be closing axios.com+7axios.com+7timesofisrael.com+7.
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