President Donald Trump announced Thursday that a decision on potential military action against Iran will come within two weeks. The statement, delivered by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, followed Iranian missile strikes on Israeli civilian targets, including a hospital and residential buildings near Tel Aviv.
Trump cited the possibility of renewed negotiations with Iran, now in their sixth round of discussions. “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations… I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” the president said in the statement.
Leavitt warned that Iran has reached a critical threshold in its nuclear capabilities, saying it now only lacks a final order from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to produce a nuclear weapon. “Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon,” she said, calling it a threat to Israel, the U.S., and global security.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark response to the attacks on Tel Aviv, calling for action against Iran’s supreme leader, stating, “Without question this man should not continue to exist.”
Asked on Wednesday about a possible strike on Iran’s Fordow fuel enrichment plant, President Trump did not rule it out. The site would require a U.S. military strike using a B-2 bomber and heavy bunker-busting munitions. “I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” the president said. He added, “If it’s a choice between them fighting or having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do.”
The president emphasized his preference for avoiding war but maintained a posture of strategic ambiguity. “I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due,” he said.
A second U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, is heading to the region to join the Fifth Fleet. The USS Gerald Ford has deployed to the Mediterranean under the Third Fleet command. These deployments mark a significant increase in U.S. readiness in the region.
Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, warned that military involvement could trigger broader conflict. “If we get involved in this war, Iran will start hitting U.S. troops and then it becomes unpredictable,” he said.
President Trump’s upcoming appearance at the NATO summit in The Hague is expected to focus on Iran, Russia, and alliance defense spending. The decision on Iran may be a central issue as member nations evaluate regional stability and collective security.
