Israel follows a policy of “nuclear ambiguity” or “nuclear opacity,” meaning it neither confirms nor denies possessing nuclear weapons. Despite this, it is widely believed that Israel has had nuclear capabilities since the late 1960s, with estimates suggesting it could possess between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads. The country is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), allowing it to maintain its ambiguous stance.
Israel’s defense posture, especially concerning Iran, has been shaped by regional tensions. Iran, with its nuclear program and its hostile rhetoric towards Israel, has been a significant concern for Israel’s security establishment. Israeli officials have frequently warned that they would take military action to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. In line with this, while Israel’s policy is to keep its nuclear capabilities ambiguous, some reports have speculated that Israel could resort to using its nuclear arsenal in a “Samson Option” scenario — a last resort if its existence is under serious threat, such as from a nuclear strike or another existential attack.
However, Israel officially relies on its advanced conventional military capabilities and missile defense systems like Iron Dome and David’s Sling to deal with regional threats, and it maintains that it would act decisively if Iran attacked Israel.