Lawmakers challenge US ambiguity over Israel’s nuclear capability
• Nearly 30 Democrats urge Secy of State Marco Rubio to end his silence
• Press for specifics on Israel’s warheads, fissile material production, thresholds for nuclear use
WASHINGTON: Nearly 30 Democratic lawmakers have urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to end Washington’s longstanding ambiguity over Israel’s alleged nuclear weapons programme, arguing that such secrecy has become untenable during the ongoing war with Iran.
Led by Democratic lawmaker Joaquin Castro, the lawmakers sent a letter on May 4 stating the United States is “currently engaged in a war against Iran, a conflict with nuclear dimensions that the administration has not adequately addressed with Congress or the American public”.
The letter repeatedly questions the US government’s refusal to publicly acknowledge Israel’s alleged nuclear arsenal while multiple nuclear-armed states are directly involved in or affected by the conflict.
“The risks of miscalculation, escalation, and nuclear use in this environment are not theoretical,” the lawmakers wrote. They added that Congress has a “constitutional responsibility to be fully informed about the nuclear balance in the Middle East”.
A policy of official ambiguity regarding the nuclear capabilities of one party to the conflict makes a coherent nonproliferation policy in the Middle East impossible, the lawmakers argued.
The document unusually presses the State Department to answer detailed questions about Israel’s alleged nuclear weapons capability, including warheads, launch systems, fissile material production, nuclear doctrine and possible thresholds for nuclear use.
“What nuclear weapons capability does Israel have?” the lawmakers asked directly. They also requested information on “any nuclear weapons systems that Israel fields, including warheads and launchers”.
The letter seeks clarification on whether Israel possesses uranium enrichment capability and whether the Negev Nuclear Research Centre at Dimona produces fissile material or plutonium.
Furthermore, the lawmakers asked if Israel has communicated “any nuclear doctrine, red lines, or thresholds for nuclear use in the context of the current conflict with Iran”, and whether the administration has received assurances that nuclear weapons will not be used.
Linking these concerns directly to the current conflict, the letter notes the US and Israel launched the war against Iran together on Feb 28, 2026, and that American and Israeli aircraft have conducted joint operations.
With Iranian missile strikes having already targeted Dimona, the lawmakers said the administration should assess the dangers of “radioactive harm to US citizens and personnel in the region” in the event of further attacks on Israeli nuclear facilities.
They also asked if the administration has examined what circumstances, including further Iranian strikes on Dimona or potential Israeli military setbacks, could lead Israel to consider nuclear use.
Citing public statements and declassified intelligence, the lawmakers argued Israel’s nuclear capability is already widely understood.
They referenced a 1974 Special National Intelligence Estimate concluding “Israel already has produced nuclear weapons” and 2006 congressional testimony from former defence secretary Robert Gates, who noted Iran is surrounded by nuclear powers, including “the Israelis to the west”.
The document notes the conflict is exceptionally dangerous due to the involvement or proximity of multiple nuclear-capable states, including the US, Britain, Russia, China, Pakistan, India, France and North Korea.
It highlighted Pakistan, which signed a mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia in September 2025 as Riyadh faced Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The letter concludes by questioning why senior State Department officials remain unable to publicly discuss Israel’s alleged nuclear capability, citing a March 25 congressional hearing where Undersecretary of State Thomas DiNanno declined to answer questions on Israel’s nuclear status.
“What is the Department’s guidance to its employees on the discussion of any Israeli nuclear weapons capability?” the lawmakers asked.
Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2026