Israel’s attack on Iran was long in the making – the result of years of meticulous planning by Israel and days of high-stakes talks between Tel Aviv and Washington, officials told CNN.

Tensions in the Middle East have exploded into full-scale conflict. In a dramatic overnight assault, Israel launched its most aggressive airstrikes in decades, targeting Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure.

The president had asked Israel to hold off. Now he’s scrambling to make a deal in negotiations that have become even more complex.

Israel and Iran opened a new chapter in their long history of conflict when Israel launched a major attack with strikes early Friday that set off explosions in the Iranian capital of Tehran. Israel said it targeted nuclear and military facilities,