Israel informed Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, during his visit over the weekend, that it would not request U.S. authorization for an attack on Iran, and that it would give only twelve hours warning before launching such an attack, Mondoweiss reports as citing the Sunday Times.

According to the report, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu does not trust U.S. President Barack Obama and believes the President might do everything in his power to prevent an attack if informed in advance, for fear of rising oil prices in an election year.

Only a few weeks ago Tehran was threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, used by a third of the world's seaborne oil trade, if new sanctions cripple its oil exports.

On Jan 23, European Union ambassadors agreed to impose an embargo on Iranian oil imports, but decided to delay the full implementation of the ban until July 1.