House Democrats have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to publicly acknowledge that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, arguing that U.S. policy of ambiguity is no longer sustainable.

In a letter led by Rep. Joaquin Castro, 30 lawmakers said the U.S. cannot support military action against Iran over nuclear concerns while refusing to confirm Israel’s own capabilities.

They argued that Congress needs clearer information about nuclear risks in the Middle East and criticized long-standing U.S. reluctance to address the issue directly.

Israel has never officially confirmed having nuclear weapons, and successive U.S. administrations have also avoided making a public declaration despite widespread belief that it does, The Guardian has reported.

The lawmakers say consistent transparency is needed to improve nuclear nonproliferation policy and reduce regional escalation risks.