Anticipation for the U.S.'s decision on engaging in the conflict with Iran is expected today
Unleashed from the G7 Summit, President Trump spent over an hour mulling war strategies with his National Security Council, according to Bloomberg's sources within the White House. After this meeting, discussions intensified on whether the U.S. would intervene in the Israel-Iran conflict. Let's remind you that, as of 18th June morning, more than 200 Iranians and 24 Israelis have lost their lives due to the conflict intensifying.
Not long after the meeting, Trump placed a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu once again tried to persuade Trump to step into the fray. In an interview with ABC News on June 16, the Israeli Prime Minister stated that Iran, a common enemy for the U.S. and Israel, required U.S. support at this time in favor of Tel Aviv.
With posts on social media and increasingly belligerent statements every day, it appears Donald Trump is leaning towards direct involvement in the Israel-Iran war. This shift, to be honest, isn't all that surprising from Trump. Recall that during his first few months after moving into the White House, he contained Netanyahu from aggressive actions. However, he's now drifting towards Israel's side more and more. He recently declared before his National Security Council meeting, for instance, that Tehran should surrender unconditionally and renounce its nuclear program, something U.S. emissaries at the negotiating table have been trying to convince Iran of for several months. He even agreed to the possibility of a strike on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who maintains a hostile stance towards Israel and the U.S., and his physical elimination.**
"We know where the 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," Trump declared. "He's an easy target, though he feels safe. But we're not planning on removing him yet."
It's hard to agree with Trump's words that Khamenei FEELS safe, given that Israelis have already decimated the top command of Iran's military and destroyed a significant portion of Khamenei's inner circle.
Everyone is discussing the next steps. Military experts claim that only with the help of super-powerful, so-called bunker bombs, available at the Pentagon, can we reach and destroy Iran's deep underground nuclear infrastructure.
Despite the obvious leaning towards Tel Aviv, Trump has yet to concede to the hawks in his administration and the U.S. Congress to intervene in the conflict, which has been ongoing for six days. However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who recently met with Trump in Washington D.C. and attended the G7 summit, is confident that the U.S. will intervene in the Middle East conflict. He even stated in an interview with television channel ZDF that the decision on this matter in Washington would be made "within the day," obviously referring to June 18. If Iran does not return to the negotiating table, which Tehran, of course, declined after Israel's attack, then, according to Scholz, it will be a matter of "total annihilation of Iran's nuclear program."**
On Tuesday evening, the State Department announced that the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem and consulates in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv would be closed for the next three days, which is a clear indication of the escalation of the conflict. In this week, the Pentagon has taken the first concrete steps since the intensification of the conflict: an aircraft carrier strike group of the U.S. Navy, led by the USS Nimitz, headed to the Middle East earlier than planned. This doesn't necessarily mean that it will participate in combat operations, but the possibility cannot be ruled out in light of how events are unfolding and how Trump's position is rapidly changing.
In light of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict and President Trump's increasingly belligerent statements, politics and general news outlets have been extensively covering war-and-conflicts, particularly those related to the Middle East. For instance, the recent announcement by the Pentagon that an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East earlier than planned is causing widespread speculation about potential U.S. intervention.
