President Donald Trump has secretly endorsed a US military strike on Iran, but has not yet given the final approval, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal. The plan involves direct US involvement to target Iran’s nuclear sites, which Israel claims are developing a nuclear weapon. However, the US president is said to be waiting for Tehran to agree to terminate its nuclear enrichment program before proceeding, as reported by the outlet on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump has secretly approved a US attack plan on Iran, but has not yet given the final order, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report claims that Trump has endorsed plans for a direct US strike on Iran, which Israel has been conducting a nearly week-long bombing campaign against. The move comes amid heightened tensions as Tehran warns of ‘irreparable damage’ to the US if military action proceeds. Trump is reportedly waiting for Iran to agree to terminate its nuclear enrichment program before authorizing the strike.
The US president is said to be considering whether the US Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs can penetrate and destroy Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, which is buried deep in a mountain. Israel lacks the 30,000-pound bunker-busters and has no aircraft capable of carrying them. However, Israeli officials have stressed that they will not end the conflict while Fordow remains intact. Six US B-2 Spirits, which are currently the only bombers capable of carrying the MOP, are deployed within attack range of Iran at the joint UK-US Diego Garcia base. Downing Street is concerned that any strikes by the bombers may draw the UK into the conflict, according to the Financial Times.
The US has been concentrating more of its forces in the Middle East in recent days, moving in dozens of tanker planes used for refueling jets in flight and air-defense-capable warships, as well as an additional aircraft carrier group. Trump has told the press on Wednesday that he has ‘ideas on what to do,’ but has not made ‘the final decision.’ Earlier this week, the president boasted that US jets have unchallenged supremacy in Iranian airspace. He also claimed that killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be ‘easy’ and demanded Tehran’s ‘unconditional surrender.’ Khamenei has replied that Iran ‘will not capitulate to anyone in the face of coercion.’