Israel reported to be preparing to strike Iran

(NewsNation) — Israel is reported to be preparing to strike Iran, raising the chances of widespread regional conflict.

The scale and targets of a potential attack are unknown, but the U.S. pulled some troops and nonessential personnel out of Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain on Wednesday, citing regional tensions.

"We gotta tell them to get out because something could happen soon and I didn't want to not give them a warning, if it should happen," President Donald Trump said Thursday when asked about the decision.

The State Department also issued a do-not-travel advisory for Iraq on Thursday.

The State Department warned that citizens who do elect to travel to Iraq cannot rely on government help. Suggestions for those who decide to go to the country anyway include having a personal security plan, establishing a last will and testament and providing DNA samples to a medical provider in case it is needed for identification.

The White House has been attempting to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran after President Donald Trump withdrew from a previously negotiated deal during his first term. Oman has been acting as a mediator in the negotiations.

The president has taken a more pessimistic view of negotiations lately, though he has still expressed his desire for a deal while maintaining that Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons. Previously, Trump suggested the U.S. would bomb Iran if a deal wasn't reached.

"I want to have an agreement with Iran. We're fairly close to an agreement," Trump told reporters Thursday. "I much prefer an agreement."

The enrichment of uranium, a key component in nuclear weapons, has been a sticking point in the negotiations, with Iran rejecting demands to stop.

The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, also rebuked Iran for failing to answer questions about possible military nuclear activity in the country this week, finding the country is not complying with its nuclear obligations.

Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday but declined to answer questions about whether or not he gave Netanyahu the okay to engage in an attack.

White House Envoy Steve Witkoff also told Republicans that if Israel strikes Iran's nuclear facilities, Iran could launch a mass casualty response, according to reporting from Axios.

There are fears that an Israeli strike on Iran could lead to large-scale conflict in the region.