Trump 'Could Strike Iran This Weekend' as Military Jets Head to Middle East
It appears the United States and Iran are rapidly moving toward an armed confrontation, with a source close to the US President revealing that his decision on military strikes is imminent, potentially within days. According to reports, President Donald Trump could authorize an attack against Iran very soon, with the US military prepared to act as early as this weekend.
Tensions Escalate as Decision Looms
As tensions between the US and the Middle Eastern nation continue to intensify, a source close to Trump disclosed to CNN that the 47th US president might give the green light for an attack by the weekend. The White House has been briefed that the military could be ready to proceed by that time, though Trump is reportedly taking a deliberate and contemplative approach to the decision. "He is spending a lot of time thinking about this," the source told CNN.
They also noted that Trump is employing a contrarian strategy in his deliberations, actively questioning military officials and aides by taking opposing sides in discussions. However, a formal date for any attack remains unclear, and it is uncertain when the US leader will make the final call on military action targeting Tehran.
Military Preparations and Diplomatic Stalemate
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the president was on the verge of approving a "massive, weeks-long" military campaign against Iran, which would likely be perceived as an all-out war. In a sign of readiness, the US military has escalated its war-threat posture by deploying six additional E-3 spy planes to the Middle East and positioning a major cruise missile-firing submarine in the region. A source told The Mirror that these moves demonstrate America is "armed and ready for conflict."
Diplomatic efforts led by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff have made little headway, according to US Vice President JD Vance, after Tehran refused on Tuesday to meet Trump's demand to halt all nuclear developments. Sources informed Axios that any military campaign would aim for a broader regime-change objective against Ayatollah Khamenei, with the US and Israel potentially launching a joint operation.
Analyst Insights and Political Context
One military analyst told the Daily Mirror: "There is very little give in these negotiations, and Israel has communicated its demands regarding Iran's nuclear and ballistic weapons to the US. Trump recognizes that Israel may decide to launch strikes against Iran's ballistic missiles, and US forces in the region are likely to become involved. Strikes are now looking very likely against Iran, either by the US along with Israel, or by Israel followed by the US."
President Trump recently stated that regime change in Iran is "the best thing that could happen," without specifying a replacement for Ayatollah Khamenei's rule. He added: "For 47 years, they've been talking and talking and talking. In the meantime, we've lost a lot of lives." While Trump declined to name a preferred leader for Iran, he suggested "there are people" who could take over.
Amid these developments, there have been persistent claims within Iran that opposition executions have proceeded despite Trump's threats against the regime. Officially, aid agencies fear over 7,000 opposition protesters were killed in recent uprising attempts, with another 17,000 deaths under investigation. Some estimates suggest up to 30,000 may have been killed, though the regime reports a death toll of around 3,000.
