US Resumes Military Pressure on Iran Amid Stalled Nuclear Talks, Relies on Israeli Intelligence
A Western diplomatic source told the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan on July 17, 2026, that the United States has resumed military pressure on Iran after only partial progress in nuclear negotiations. According to the source, US President Donald Trump had offered Iran a chance to show greater flexibility, but Tehran failed to capitalize on this opportunity and hardened its stance. Although Iran returned to the negotiating table following the Islamabad Memorandum, the talks yielded limited advancement on the nuclear issue.
The source explained that due to Iran's rigidity and insufficient responses, Washington has reverted to using military pressure tools to push Tehran toward more significant concessions. The diplomatic source also addressed Israel's role, stating that the US administration remains capable of restraining independent Israeli actions that could escalate regional tensions. Washington heavily relies on Israeli intelligence regarding Iran, with the Iranian nuclear program as the primary strategic target and Hezbollah as the secondary priority.
The source highlighted that intelligence gathered over the years, from Iran's leadership, military, security apparatus, scientists, and nuclear experts, has also helped expose Hezbollah's organizational structure. Much of the information about Hezbollah originates from within Iran, and combined with ongoing Israeli intelligence operations in Lebanon since the 2006 Lebanon War, a comprehensive picture has formed of Hezbollah's personnel, networks, facilities, warehouses, and command centers. These details were shared anonymously with the Lebanese newspaper linked to the anti-Hezbollah camp.
