President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered a new round of strikes against Iran that could begin as soon as this weekend, as Tehran threatens sweeping retaliation and U.S. embassies across the Middle East urge Americans to consider fleeing the region amid fears of imminent escalation.
The new offensive could begin within days and last several days, according to a Wall Street Journal report Friday, while separate reports said Washington is considering some of its harshest strikes yet against Iranian energy and infrastructure targets. Although Trump reportedly authorized an attack plan presented to him Friday at Camp David, multiple outlets reported that a final execution order had not yet been issued, leaving open the possibility that a diplomatic breakthrough could still avert the operation.
Trump publicly signaled Friday that his patience with Tehran is rapidly running out. “We’ll be hitting them very hard,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David. “And you know at some point, they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.'” Asked about reviving diplomacy with Tehran, Trump offered an even more direct answer: “I think we just want to win.”
The president also said he was “losing faith” in reaching an agreement with Iran, accusing Tehran of repeatedly lying and breaking its word during negotiations. “All they do is make me angry,” Trump said, describing Iranian negotiators as “very dishonest” and “very dishonorable” to deal with.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later accused Tehran of violating the memorandum of understanding it signed with Washington last month by attacking commercial vessels and killing American service members. “President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur,” Leavitt said. “Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in what President Trump deems a meaningful way.”
CBS News reported Friday that the United States and Israel were preparing what could become one of the harshest bombing campaigns of the conflict against Iranian energy infrastructure, with power plants and refineries among the likely targets and strikes possible throughout the weekend. High-level discussions Friday also reportedly included the possibility of cutting electricity across Tehran.
Multiple U.S. sources told the outlet that Israel had been notified of the plans and was coordinating with Washington. An Israeli official, however, pushed back on reports of direct Israeli participation, telling the network that Jerusalem had neither been informed of a decision to fully restart military operations nor asked to join an attack.
The stakes could not be higher. After weeks of tit-for-tat strikes and failed negotiations, the region stands on the brink of a wider conflagration that could draw in multiple nations and threaten global energy markets. Trump appears determined to force Iran’s hand through overwhelming military pressure, betting that the Islamic Republic will eventually cry uncle rather than face the complete destruction of its economic and military infrastructure.
Will Iran blink before the bombs start falling? Or are we watching the countdown to the most devastating phase of this conflict yet?
About The Author
