Israel initially planned to strike Iran in mid-2026, but developments inside the Islamic republic and shifting regional dynamics brought the timetable forward to February, AFP reports, citing claims by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz.

“An operation was planned for the middle of the year with the same target set,” Katz claimed in an address to military intelligence officials, according to a statement issued by his office.

“But due to developments and circumstances — mainly what happened inside Iran, the position of the US president and the possibility of creating a combined operation — it became necessary to move everything up to February.”