Such a move, sources warned, held the potential to severely escalate tensions across the Middle East and jeopardise the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to negotiate a deal aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.The apprehension surrounding a potential Israeli strike and the looming threat of Iranian retaliation prompted swift action from the United States.Washington has already initiated the withdrawal of diplomats from Iraq and authorised the voluntary departure of US military family members from the broader Middle East region, underscoring the gravity of the situation.While the precise scope of Israel's preparations remained undisclosed, the heightened tensions followed months of sustained pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Netanyahu had reportedly urged President Trump to capitalise on what Israel perceived as a strategic window of Iranian vulnerability for a military intervention, according to NYT.