In a recent press briefing, US President Donald Trump stated he would “absolutely” consider military action against Iran if intelligence indicated the nation was enriching uranium to dangerous levels. This statement comes after the US conducted airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities, utilizing “bunker buster” bombs, before Trump sought a ceasefire shortly thereafter.
In a speech, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed that the US strikes had been ineffective. However, Trump maintained that the strikes had “obliterated” significant portions of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Later, Trump voiced on his social media platform Truth Social that he was aware of the ayatollah’s location and suggested he had intervened to prevent Israeli and US forces from targeting him.
While both sides of the conflict have proclaimed victory, Iran’s foreign minister acknowledged that the attacks resulted in “excessive and serious” damage to the country’s nuclear sites. Trump questioned the ayatollah’s claims of victory, labeling them as lies.
Despite previously working on sanction relief for Iran, Trump announced that he would halt these efforts following the ayatollah’s comments. Tensions escalated further as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran, if unchecked, could develop a nuclear weapon swiftly.
After twelve days of conflict, the death toll reportedly includes 610 people in Iran and 28 in Israel. While the White House considered options to bring Iran back to negotiations, Iranian officials have denied any intention to resume talks with the US.
Source: www.bbc.com
