Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu‏‏ is formulating a task force to prepare for discussions with the Biden administration regarding the US rejoining the US nuclear deal, Walla News reported last week.

The team will include officials from the Mossad, the Defense Ministry, the National Security Council, the Foreign Ministry, the IDF, and the Atomic Energy Commission.

Netanyahu is considering appointing a senior official to lead the team and serve as an envoy in discussions with the US regarding Iran’s nuclear program and according to the report, a likely candidate for the position is Mossad head Yossi Cohen.

Cohen was in Washington this week and met with US officials both in the outgoing Trump administration and incoming Biden administration.

According to a report by Israel Hayom last week, Israel is also formulating new military options to combat the Iranian threat.

The report said that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi has instructed the IDF’s Strategy and Third Circle Directorate, more commonly known as the Iran directorate, to strategize on three alternatives to thwart Iran’s nuclear efforts or combat Iranian aggression.

The new plan, which will soon be presented to the government, will require an addition of billions of shekels to the defense budget.

Israeli military intelligence believes that Iran is capable of forming a fully-functioning nuclear site within one year, the report added.

“Iran has made progress in recent years in terms of research and development, both on enriched material and offensive capabilities, and has a regime that really wants to have nuclear weapons,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Israel Hayom.

“It is clear that Israel needs to have a military option on the table. It requires resources and investment, and I am working to make that happen.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)