U.S. President Donald Trump is believed to have signed off on military plans for a potential attack on Iran, although he has not yet authorised their execution.
According to reports, Trump convened a meeting with top military officials in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday night to review strategies for a possible offensive.
Senior administration officials are now preparing for a likely U.S. military action against Iran “in the coming days,” Bloomberg reported.
Several military options have been laid out, including the deployment of B-2 stealth bombers to drop 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iran’s heavily fortified nuclear facilities.
The developments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Iran would “pay a heavy price” following an Iranian missile strike on Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.
The hospital was one of multiple sites hit by Iranian projectiles on Thursday.
According to Bloomberg, Trump is withholding the final go‑ahead to strike, hoping Iran will step back on its nuclear ambitions “in the coming days”
He told reporters: “I may do it, I may not do it… I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due,” reaffirming his preference to keep options open
Intelligence sources and Wall Street Journal reports highlight the Fordow enrichment site—deeply embedded in a mountain—as the primary target. The bunker-buster GBU‑57 A/B, a 30,000 lb “Massive Ordnance Penetrator,” could be dropped by B‑2 bombers to penetrate hundreds of feet underground
Military build-up & U.S. posture
The U.S. has repositioned substantial military assets: a third destroyer in the Mediterranean, a second carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea, and deployments of F‑22s and National Guard units
U.S. officials emphasise that current deployments are defensive, aimed at missile interception and deterrence, while strike options remain on standby
Russia’s warning & global stakes
Russian Deputy FM Sergey Ryabkov cautioned that U.S. intervention would “radically destabilise” the region. Russia also warned the world is mere “millimetres” from nuclear calamity if escalation continues
Civilians in the crossfire
Iran and Israel continue to exchange missile barrages, including Iranian strikes on civilian targets, most notably Soroka Hospital in Beersheba,
Reported casualties now reach hundreds in Iran and dozens in Israel, with mounting concerns about a widening regional conflict
Recent backchannel diplomacy
Amid rising military tension, three Iranian government aircraft have touched down in Oman, suggesting possible unstated diplomatic initiatives
Earlier in April and May, U.S.–Iran talks were mediated via Oman, but no binding nuclear agreement was reached.
