US President Donald Trump is currently weighing the decision of whether to join Israel in its audacious strikes against Iran’s nuclear installations, as the intense conflict stretches into its sixth relentless day and fiery rhetoric escalates on all fronts.
There is the potential for American forces to deploy their superior arsenal to target a clandestine underground nuclear facility at Fordo, as per insights from five sources who shared their knowledge with the BBC’s US associate, CBS News. On Tuesday, the president convened with his national security team to deliberate on the upcoming strategic moves.
Since Friday, Israel and Iran have been locked in a lethal exchange of attacks. Experts interpret Trump’s statements as an indication of his readiness to ally with Israel, despite his previous appeals for de-escalation and his strong advocacy for a diplomatic resolution aimed at curtailing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. His exasperation has been mounting over the perceived stagnation in achieving a new agreement to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear weapon capabilities—an accord that he had severed ties with during his initial tenure.
Leveraging social media on Tuesday, Trump issued a dire warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, making it clear that the US is well aware of his whereabouts. ‘He is an easy target but remains secure there,’ Trump penned. ‘We are not planning to eliminate him (kill!), at least not at this current juncture. However, we have zero tolerance for missiles targeting civilians or American troops. Our patience is growing ever more fragile.’
Another terse social media update from Trump read starkly: ‘UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!’
On Wednesday, Iran’s supreme leader responded to the comments directly and said the country would never surrender.
“Any form of US military intervention will undoubtedly be met with irreparable harm,” Khamenei said.