Benjamin Netanyahu said a ground invasion of Iran may be required to topple the Islamic regime.
The Israeli prime minister said last night the regime is at its “weakest point” after four weeks of Operation Epic Fury.
Mr Netanyahu told reporters that a “ground component” to the US-Israeli offensive would be necessary to dismantle the Islamic Republic.
President Trump is said to be considering backing the operation with thousands of troops.
One option would be deploying troops to Iran’s Kharg Island, which is responsible for 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports.
Sending troops to secure Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium is another option on the cards, amid US-Israeli fears the supply could eventually be used to build a bomb.
Despite Mr Netanyahu’s comments, the US President publicly dismissed the idea of a ground invasion.
He told reporters on Thursday: “I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you. But I’m not putting troops.”
Benjamin Netanyahu said a 'ground component' might be required for Israel and America to achieve its aims
|GETTY / REUTERS
The air offensive has so far yielded fruitful rewards for the US and Israel, including the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has since named Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor, who narrowly escaped death and has not been seen in public since.
Britain has so far resisted demands to involve itself with the conflict, but has pledged to “step up” defensive support for Gulf states.
Iran attacked energy sites across the region in a “serious escalation” of the war, Defence Secretary John Healey said.
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Mr Healey said Tehran’s attacks earlier this week threatened to further destabilise the region as he reiterated the Government’s call for de-escalation.
Iran hit multiple energy sites across the Gulf in response to an Israeli strike on its main natural gas field.
Iran targeted a Saudi oil refinery, Qatari gas facilities and two more refineries in Kuwait.
Mr Healey said of Iran’s attacks: “They’re a serious escalation. They further destabilise the region and we will step up the defensive support that we can offer to those Gulf states.”
The US-Israeli operation has so far yielded results, but Netanyahu has suggested a ground offensive might be needed to push further
| GETTYBritish forces are already deployed in the Middle East, with RAF jets flying defensive sorties against Iranian drones across the Gulf.
British air defence systems are also protecting critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.