One high-profile military official noted that if such a decision is made, commanders in the region will need time to prepare and strengthen the positions of American forces in response to possible actions by Iran.
The Wall Street Journal also reports on preliminary discussions within the Trump administration, in which the option of a large-scale airstrike on Iranian military facilities was considered. However, it is claimed that there is no consensus among advisors on this issue, and no military equipment or personnel have been deployed to prepare for a possible strike.
Sources speaking to the media emphasize that such discussions are part of normal military planning, and there are currently no signs that an attack on Iran is imminent.
In response to journalists' inquiries, a White House representative referred to a recent post by Trump on the social network Truth Social, in which he stated: "Iran is seeking freedom, perhaps like never before. The U.S. is ready to help!!!"
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that any attack by the U.S. would lead to retaliatory strikes by Iran on Israel and U.S. bases in the region, which would be considered "legitimate targets."
Against this backdrop, mass protests continue in Iran. Strikes that began on December 28 due to the collapse of the national currency and a sharp rise in inflation soon spread across almost the entire country. In some western cities, protesters, according to media reports, have taken control of the situation. In response, the authorities have begun a brutal crackdown on the protests, while the internet in the country is almost completely shut down. According to some reports, the number of casualties has exceeded 200 people, although there is no official information on this yet.
