The Israeli military is one step closer to bombing Iran's nuclear sites, according to officials in the country.

The London Times reported Saturday that the Israeli Air Force could be ready to attack within days or even hours of being given the okay by the new government.

One Israeli official says his country wouldn't make the threat against Iran without the force to back it up.

"Israel wants to know that if its forces were given the green light, they could strike at Iran in a matter of days, even hours," he said. "They are making preparations on every level for this eventuality. The message to Iran is that the threat is not just words."

An intelligence official also said Israel probably wouldn't carry out an attack without getting some kind of approval from the U.S.