TENSIONS EXPLODE IN MIDDLE EAST AS TRUMP CONSIDERS IRAN STRIKE, ISRAEL AND IRAN EXCHANGE FIRE

US President Donald Trump has approved military plans for a potential strike on Iran, according to CBS, though no final order has been given. Trump, who held off on immediate action in hopes of Iran abandoning its nuclear ambitions, specifically considered targeting the Fordo underground uranium enrichment facility. His comments—“I may do it, I may not do it”—added to the mounting uncertainty in a region on edge.
The dramatic developments come amid escalating Israeli military operations. Over the past week, Israel launched a series of strikes on Iranian missile and nuclear sites, prompting Iran to retaliate with hypersonic missiles. Although Israel reports minimal damage, casualties from the conflict are mounting: over 585 people have died in Iran, including 239 civilians, according to the Human Rights Activists group. Israel, meanwhile, has lost 24 civilians to Iranian strikes.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a defiant warning, stating the Iranian people “will not surrender,” and deriding Trump as a “has-been warmonger.” Iran’s mission to the UN also lashed out on social media, emphasizing that Tehran would not negotiate “under duress.”
Inside Iran, the crisis has triggered chaos and fear. Tehran’s roads are clogged with residents fleeing expected airstrikes. Iranian state TV, hacked during broadcasts, aired messages calling on citizens to rise up against the regime—a flashback to the mass protests of 2022.
In Washington, military preparations are evident. A US carrier strike group is en route to the Gulf, while aerial refueling tankers and stealth fighters reposition. Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, confirmed the Pentagon’s readiness to execute orders. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also scheduled to meet UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, though no request has yet been made for access to British military bases.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Jerusalem has issued evacuation notices for American citizens as the specter of regional war looms larger than ever.