Thirty House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday asking him to publicly acknowledge that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, arguing the United States should end decades of official ambiguity on the issue.

The lawmakers wrote that it is unsustainable for the Trump administration to collaborate with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on military planning against Iran while maintaining official silence about Israel's nuclear capabilities. The letter comes as tensions between Israel and Iran remain elevated following recent conflicts in the region.

The United States has historically maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Israel's nuclear program, neither confirming nor denying the widely assumed existence of Israeli nuclear weapons. This approach has allowed both countries to avoid diplomatic complications while maintaining their close alliance.

The Democrats' letter frames the issue in the context of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, suggesting that acknowledging Israel's nuclear status would provide clarity to ongoing regional security discussions. Iran has long cited Israel's suspected nuclear arsenal as justification for its own nuclear program development.

Israel has never officially confirmed or denied possessing nuclear weapons, though international experts and intelligence assessments widely believe the country developed nuclear capabilities decades ago. The country is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.