Israel has assured the White House that it will hold off on any military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities unless President Donald Trump determines that diplomacy with Tehran has broken down, Axios revealed, citing two Israeli officials with direct knowledge of the matter.

The message was delivered during a high-level Israeli delegation’s visit to Washington last week, which included Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Mossad Director David Barnea, and National Security Adviser Tzahi Hanegbi. 

One Israeli official said the team sought to ease American concerns about a potential surprise strike.

"We calmed the Americans and told them there is no logic in launching an attack if a good diplomatic solution can be found. This is why we are going to give it a chance and wait with any military action until it is clear that negotiations were exhausted and [White House envoy] Steve Witkoff has given up," an Israeli official said.

The Israeli officials emphasized that while the Israeli army is routinely conducting drills and maintaining operational readiness for a potential strike on Iran, those preparations should not be misinterpreted.

"The U.S. and other countries misread measures the IDF took ahead of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen as preparations for an imminent strike against Iran," a senior Israeli official said.

The reassurance from Jerusalem comes as the Trump administration awaits Tehran’s formal response to its proposal for a renewed nuclear agreement. Iranian officials say a reply is in the works and being finalized. Meanwhile, President Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of intentionally dragging its feet, hours after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly rejected the U.S. offer as insufficient.

Trump’s self-imposed two-month window for reaching a deal is set to expire next week, according to White House officials. Despite the looming deadline, U.S. sources say another round of direct talks between Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is unlikely to happen over the weekend.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly conveyed skepticism to President Trump regarding the prospects for a successful U.S.-Iran nuclear accord. Still, an Israeli official said that in spite of clear gaps between Washington and Tehran, the Iranians appear to be maneuvering carefully to avoid a complete breakdown in talks.

“It could take several more months of back-and-forth before President Trump ultimately concludes that diplomacy has run its course,” the official added.