U.S. President Donald Trump has approved military plans to strike Iran, though a final decision on executing the attack has not yet been made, according to a report from CBS. A senior intelligence source told the outlet that Trump held off on initiating strikes to allow Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
The proposed U.S. strike is reportedly being considered on Fordo, an underground uranium enrichment site in Iran.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly rejected Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender on Wednesday, reinforcing Tehran’s defiance as tensions continue to escalate in the region. Responding to questions about U.S. involvement, Trump stated, “I may do it, I may not do it.”
Khamenei, in a recorded address, warned the U.S. against military action. “Any US military intervention would be costly,” he said, adding: “The Iranian nation will not surrender.”
Trump appeared unfazed by Khamenei’s dismissal, responding simply with, “good luck,” but remained tight-lipped about his course of action. “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” the president added. “Unconditional surrender – that means I’ve had it.”
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report that Trump had backed plans for a possible strike.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued to target Iranian infrastructure, launching new attacks on missile sites and nuclear facilities. In response, Iran claimed to have launched hypersonic missiles. Israeli officials said no serious damage was reported.
This marks Khamenei’s first public appearance since Israel began its pre-emptive strikes last Friday.
As the conflict intensified, Iran’s mission to the United Nations issued a scathing rebuke of Trump via social media platform X, stating: “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.”
“No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House,” the post continued. “The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s supreme leader.”
The war of words came as thousands of residents flooded roads out of Tehran, a city of 10 million, seeking shelter from ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
In a video message released Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israeli forces were “progressing step by step” toward eliminating threats tied to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and missile capabilities.
“We control the skies over Tehran. We are striking with tremendous force at the regime of the ayatollahs. We are hitting the nuclear sites, the missiles, the headquarters, the symbols of the regime,” he said.
At a Senate committee hearing, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed the Pentagon’s readiness to carry out presidential orders. His statement came amid the movement of U.S. military assets toward the region. A carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz is en route from Southeast Asia to join the USS Carl Vinson group already stationed in the Gulf.
Flight trackers also detected air refueling tankers and reports of F-22 and F-35 fighter jets deploying from Europe toward the Middle East.
The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, with Iran expected to be a central topic of discussion.
The BBC reports that the U.S. has not yet made a formal request to utilize UK military bases in Diego Garcia or Cyprus for any potential operations against Iran. Typically, allies are notified in advance of such actions. A British government source said it appears “all options” remain on the table, but there is no definitive indication of U.S. intent.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued an evacuation plan for American citizens currently in Israel. It remains unclear how many Americans are attempting to leave or whether the U.S. military will be involved in evacuation logistics.
Since Israel launched its offensive on Friday, strikes have reportedly killed 585 individuals in Iran, according to the Washington D.C.-based group Human Rights Activists. Of those, 239 were civilians and 126 were identified as security personnel.
In retaliation, Iran has fired around 400 missiles at Israel, killing 24 civilians, according to Israeli authorities.
Meanwhile, Iranian state television issued a warning to its viewers after its satellite feed was reportedly hacked. The brief interruption broadcast a video urging the public to rise up against the regime, referencing past protests and accusing the government of “failing” its own people.
“If you notice irrelevant messages while watching TV, it is due to the enemy jamming satellite signals,” state TV said in response.
