June 12 (UPI) — Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear arsenal could trigger a military strike by Israel if diplomatic efforts fail to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Israel is considering a military strike against Iran that likely would not be supported by the United States, NBC News, The New York Times and ABC News reported on Thursday.

U.S. and Iranian representatives are discussing a potential agreement that would enable Iran to enrich uranium for energy but not to produce nuclear weapons.

The Trump administration is awaiting a response from Iran regarding the potential agreement framework, but Iranian negotiators have become more “hardline” during the process, President Donald Trump said.

The hardline stance by Iranian leaders caused the Trump administration on Wednesday to order non-essential staff with the Defense and State departments to leave the Middle East due to reports of a pending Israeli strike on Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pressured Trump to approve an Israeli strike against Iran before it produces a nuclear warhead and while Iran is vulnerable, The New York Times reported.

Trump says he prefers to negotiate a nuclear non-proliferation agreement with Iran, which Iran’s hardline stance is making more difficult to achieve.

U.S. and Iranian negotiators are scheduled to meet in Oman on Sunday, but Trump has said Iran has adopted “unacceptable” negotiation demands.

Britain has announced new threats against commercial shipping in the Middle East, and Trump on Wednesday told the New York Post he has become less confident that Iran won’t pursue the development of nuclear weapons.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Thursday limited movement by its employees in anticipation of a potential Israeli military strike against Iran and its uranium enrichment facilities.

Israel opposes any form of uranium enrichment by Iran, which the board of governors for the International Atomic Energy Agency recently concluded is not complying with existing nuclear agreements.

Iran’s military has begun drills that are aimed at targeting enemy movements after learning of the potential Israeli strike, The Jerusalem Post reported.

IAEA investigators found man-made uranium particles at three locations in Iran in 2019 and 2020 and in a recent quarterly report announced Iran has enough enriched uranium to develop nine nuclear warheads.

“We have been seeking explanations and clarifications from Iran for the presence of these uranium particles,” IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said.

“Unfortunately, Iran has repeatedly either not answer or not provided technically credible answers,” Grossi said.

Iranian officials have tried to sanitize the sites and thwart IAEA inspectors, he added.