U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said during a congressional hearing that most of the world assesses Israel possesses nuclear weapons [1].

The exchange highlights the tension between the U.S. government's official policy of ambiguity and the widely held international perception of Israel's military capabilities.

The hearing took place on June 3 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C. [1]. Lawmakers used the session to seek clarification on the position the United States maintains toward Israel's alleged nuclear weapons program [1].

During the questioning, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) addressed the global view of the Israeli arsenal. "Most of the world assesses Israel has nuclear weapons," Rubio said [1].

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked for his response to the assessment. Blinken did not provide a confirmation or a denial regarding the program. "I’m not going to comment on that," Blinken said [1].

Israel has historically maintained a policy of nuclear ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying the existence of its nuclear weapons. This stance is designed to deter regional adversaries without triggering a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. The U.S. has generally respected this policy for decades, avoiding public confirmation of the arsenal, and focusing on non-proliferation efforts in the region.

Rubio's comments during the hearing underscore a gap between formal diplomatic silence and the intelligence assessments utilized by global actors. The refusal by Blinken to answer the query maintains the status quo of the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership, which relies on a level of discretion regarding sensitive military assets.

“"Most of the world assesses Israel has nuclear weapons."”

The refusal of the Secretary of State to confirm Israel's nuclear status reinforces the long-standing 'strategic ambiguity' policy. By avoiding a direct answer, the U.S. avoids legitimizing or delegitimizing the arsenal, which prevents a diplomatic crisis with other regional powers while acknowledging, through the silence, that the status quo remains unchanged.