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Hans India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Trump ready with Iran attack plan?
Washington: US President Donald Trump has approved plans to attack Iran, but has not made a final decision on whether to strike the country. The US President held off from initiating strikes in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear programme, a senior intelligence source said. Trump is reportedly considering a US strike on Fordo, an underground uranium enrichment facility in Iran. Senior officials in the United States are getting ready for a possible military strike on Iran in the coming days, according to a Bloomberg report. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected Trump's demand for unconditional surrender, as the US President said his patience had run out. On Wednesday, Trump said, "I may do it, I may not do it", when asked a question about US involvement in Iran. He also repeated his insistence on Iran's unconditional surrender: 'The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week.' Khamenei rebuked Trump in recorded speech, saying that "any US military intervention" would be costly and added: "The Iranian nation will not surrender." It was Khamenei's first appearance since Israel launched what it described as pre-emptive strikes on Friday. Trump brushed off the rejection, saying "good luck", but again declined to disclose his plans. "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. The news of Trump backing strike plans was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Iran's mission to the United Nations mocked Trump in posts on X: "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," it added. "The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to 'take out' Iran's supreme leader." Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video that his country's forces were "progressing step by step" towards eliminating threats posed by Iran's nuclear sites and ballistic missile arsenal. "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 Pete Hegseth, Trump's defence secretary, told a Senate committee that the Pentagon was prepared to execute any order given by Trump. His comments came amid a build-up of American forces in the Middle East. A carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier was steaming from south-east Asia to join another strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson, already in the Gulf. Various air assets including refuelling tankers were also seen on flight trackers moving from Europe, with reports of F-22 and F-35 strike aircraft following. The US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Washington DC on Thursday, for talks expected to focus on Iran. So far, the US has not made a formal request to use the UK's military bases in Diego Garcia or Cyprus to conduct strikes against Iran. Normally, the US would first inform its ally if it intended to conduct offensive operations from those bases. A British source said it was believed "all options" were on the table in Washington but there was no complete picture of America's intent. The US embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday issued an evacuation plan for American citizens currently in Israel. It was unclear how many Americans were seeking to leave Israel or whether the US military would assist with the evacuation flights.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump's big headache? U.S faces mounting risk to 40,000 troops in Middle East as Iran threatens response
If the United States joins the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, the Pentagon would be confronting a major issue regarding the fate of more than 40,000 US soldiers already deployed around the Middle East along with other US citizens who live and work in the region, as per a report. US Troops in the Line of Fire The United States troops stationed in between bases from Bahrain to Syria would be the most vulnerable to counterattacks, which might involve Iranian ballistic missiles, drones or terrorism if the US joins Israel to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, reported USA Today. A US Defense official told USA Today that Iran can strike 'all of them,' as quoted in the report. The fear comes as even previously Iran had launched 13 ballistic missiles at US troops in Iraq in January 2020, wounding around 100 US troops, according to the report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo ALSO READ: Shocking poll: Two-thirds of Americans believe Donald Trump has committed crimes Will United States Join the War? Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump did not dismiss the possibility of entering the ongoing war, as he said on Wednesday, 'I may do it. I may not do it," adding, "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," quoted USA Today. Live Events Pentagon Moves to Protect Americans Abroad As per the report, in case the United States launches a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, the potential weapon the US could use is the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a bomb that can burrow deep into the earth before unleashing a huge explosion. With the aim to increase protection for Americans in the Middle East, the Pentagon has started shifting more firepower to the region this week, including the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group, which is expected to be arriving in a few days, according to USA Today. A US official in anonymity told USA Today that the added warplanes from the Nimitz and others in the region would be able to deliver a devastating response in Iran if they did attack US troops, as quoted in the report. FAQs How many US troops are at risk in the Middle East? Over 40,000 US soldiers are currently stationed at bases from Bahrain to Syria, as per USA Today report. Why are they in danger? If the US joins Israel in striking Iran's nuclear sites, Iran could retaliate against American troops using missiles, drones, or terror attacks, as per the report.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon sends warplanes, aircraft carrier to Middle East as Iran-Israel conflict rages
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has shifted warplanes and an aircraft carrier to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to rage, but the moves have been defensive in nature as the U.S. observes rather than participates in Israel's punishing air campaign, according to U.S. officials. The moves by the U.S. military have been made with an eye toward protecting American troops stationed in the Middle East, a senior Defense official said. There are about 40,000 U.S. service members there. "We are postured defensively in the region to be strong, in pursuit of a peace deal," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News in a June 16 interview. The Pentagon has not been involved in Israel's offensive strikes on Israel, according to a second U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. Iran has been warned that any strike on U.S. troops will be met with a strong response. That official characterized the movement of additional forces to the region as a show of force. There have been indications that U.S. troops have been targeted at times by Iran but no attacks have followed, the official said. The aircraft being moved to the Middle East include air refueling tankers from Europe, according to the Defense official who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Refuelers would be necessary to keep fighter aircraft aloft as they provide cover for troops and installations on the ground. The Pentagon has also shifted 21 refuelers based in the United States to Europe, backfilling those sent to the Middle East, the U.S. official said. That move suggests the war between Israel and Iran could continue for some time. The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier has dozens of warplanes aboard. It is about a week away from the Middle East, the U.S. official said. The U.S. had already moved the USS Carl Vinson, another massive aircraft carrier, to the region in April to take part in the Trump administration's strikes on Houthi forces in Yemen. In May, B-52 bombers joined B-2 bombers at Diego Garcia, a Navy base off the tip of India around 2,300 miles from Iran. B-2 aircraft can carry bunker buster bombs, which could be used to target Iran's nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, U.S. ballistic missile interceptors remain on the ground in Israel and at sea on warships nearby in the Mediterranean. Israel has made a significant dent in Iran's ballistic missile capability, and its air defenses, the U.S. official said. The ongoing aerial war between Israel and Iran entered its fifth day on June 17 as Israel pounded Iranian cities with bombs and some Iranian missiles evaded Israel's iron dome defense system. More than 220 Iranians have been killed and at least 1,200 injured since the bombardment began, Iranian state media reported. Two dozen Israelis have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, officials said. A day earlier, President Donald Trump hurriedly left a G7 summit in Canada, citing the escalating crisis in the Middle East. In a Truth Social post, he urged people to "immediately evacuate Tehran." After French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump was on his way to work towards a ceasefire, the U.S. president retorted in another post that "he has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US moves warplanes, ships to Middle East as Iran-Israel conflict spirals
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump undecided on joining war on Iran as Khamenei warns him not to attack
Donald Trump said he had not decided whether or not to take his country into Israel's new war, as Iran's supreme leader said the US would face 'irreparable damage' if it deployed its military to attack. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel had made a 'huge mistake' by launching the war, in his first comments since Friday. 'The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,' he said in a statement read out by a presenter on state TV. Tehran was preparing missiles and other equipment to strike US bases in the region if Washington joined the war, the New York Times reported, citing US intelligence officials. Hours later, Trump said Iranian officials had made contact to request a meeting and proposed a visit to the White House. He told reporters on the White House lawn that he felt 'it's very late to be talking' but he had not yet made a final decision about entering the war. 'I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do,' he said. That lack of clarity about what comes next may extend to the president himself, who was still in deal-making mode, one ally said. The US is understood to want to keep all its options open to exert maximum pressure on Tehran. It was moving air tankers for midair refuelling to Spain and Greece, where they could be used to supply B-2 bombers on a long run from the Whiteman airbase in Missouri to Iran. It is understood that no request has been put to the UK for use of the Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean for a B-2 bombing run or of the Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus for the refuelling aircraft, though the latter is considered likely. Other US military assets are on their way. The Pentagon ordered the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to sail from Singapore to the Middle East, which is expected to take between five and seven days. The USS Carl Vinson is already in the Arabian Sea. Qatar and Oman were trying to mediate a ceasefire, the Jerusalem Post reported, hours after at least one aircraft associated with the Iranian government flew to Muscat in Oman, flight tracking showed. Iran sent a message that it was willing to negotiate a deal with the US, but Israel needed to 'calm things down', a source told the Jerusalem Post. Trump's claim that Iranians had offered to come to the White House for talks prompted an enraged response from Iran's mission to the UN. 'No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House,' the mission posted on a social media account. The foreign ministers of the UK, France and Germany are planning to meet their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Geneva on Friday in what could represent a potential diplomatic breakthrough after five days of Israeli bombing. Final confirmation from Tehran is still pending, but if confirmed it would represent the first face-to-face diplomatic meeting since the crisis began. In a social media post late on Wednesday, Araghchi wrote that Iran 'remain[s] committed to diplomacy. As before, we are serious and forward-looking in our outlook.' The talks in Geneva will focus on how Iran is willing to reduce or close its nuclear programme, and will also be attended by the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. But Araghchi has refused to meet Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, on the grounds that the US is supporting Israel's attacks. The Trump administration had initially distanced itself from the war, saying Israel had acted alone, but in recent days it has stepped up its rhetoric and its military presence in the Middle East. Iran's Fordow nuclear facility is at the heart of demands for the US to join the war, both in Israel and from hawks in Washington. Damage from strikes on other facilities could be repaired within months, Israeli military officials and nuclear experts say. Destroying or crippling Fordow would have much more of a long-term impact. It is buried deep below a mountain near the holy city of Qom, and the only munitions that could possibly damage or destroy it are the most powerful US bunker-buster bombs, which only US B-2s can carry. Israel's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said the war had been an entirely Israeli campaign but it 'will not end without damaging Fordow', in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 television. If the US does not join, Israel may still have military options but they would be riskier and more complicated. It could fly in special operations troops for a ground operation, like one that targeted a missile factory in Syria last year, or disable Fordow by attacking critical support systems such as its power supply. Israel says it launched the war in self-defence, to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, but Netanyahu and several ministers have made no secret of their desire for regime change. Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, and critics have questioned why Israel targeted civilian institutions such as the state broadcaster. On Wednesday, the defence minister, Israel Katz, said Israel was bombing 'symbols of power' in Iran and suggested the regime could be in its last days. 'A tornado is sweeping through Tehran,' he wrote in a post on X. 'Symbols of power are being bombed and collapsing, from the broadcasting authority and soon other targets, and masses of residents are fleeing. This is how dictatorships collapse.' The escalating conflict has prompted a growing international chorus of concern. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, offered to mediate between Iran and Israel, after one of his top diplomats urged Washington not to consider 'speculative options' for intervention. On a sixth night of attacks, Israel bombed a site that manufactured uranium centrifuges and also said it had targeted a missile component factory and destroyed five attack helicopters. Iran's military has been battered but not fully destroyed. An advanced Israeli drone was shot down on Wednesday, despite Israel claiming control of the skies over western Iran and Tehran. Overnight, Iran fired 15 missiles at Israel. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Israeli strikes had hit two centrifuge productions in Iran, one in the capital and another just outside it. Iran has reported at least 224 deaths from Israeli attacks, mostly civilians, although it has not updated that toll for several days. A US-based watchdog, Human Rights Activists in Iran, says at least 585 people have been killed and more than 1,300 injured. Iranian attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, all civilians. Israeli air defences have intercepted most of the 400 missiles fired by Tehran, with only about 10% hitting targets inside the country. Israel could become more vulnerable if the war continues much longer as supplies of its most effective air-defence missiles are running low, the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing a US official. Its Arrow interceptors are complex missiles that cost several million dollars each, and they have a long production process. Related: Israel's assumption US would get drawn into Iran war is being put to the test Although the US has been supporting Israel's defences with Thaad ground-based systems, interceptions by F-16 jets and missiles launched by the navy, it does not have unlimited supplies of these defensive systems either. Iran is thought to still have a substantial proportion of the estimated 2,000 missiles that were in its arsenal at the start of the war. Israeli strikes have focused on launcher systems that are needed to fire them. Additional reporting by Quique Kierszenbaum
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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Meet Michael Erik Kurilla, US General known as 'Gorilla', who is handling West Asia crisis
General Michael Erik Kurilla is handling the US' plans for the crisis in West Asia. The four-star general, nicknamed 'Gorilla', for his physique, has been overriding decisions from his seniors at the Pentagon with the backing of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth read more Lieutenant General Michael Kurilla is handling the US' response to the West Asia crisis. Reuters A four-star general nicknamed 'Gorilla' is handling the US' plans for the West Asia crisis. Though one would expect US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to handle the matter, he has instead delegated power to General Michael Erik Kurilla. So much so that Kurilla is actually overriding decisions from senior members of the Pentagon. But who is Kurilla? What do we know about his handling of the crisis in West Asia? Let's take a closer look: STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who is he? Kurilla hails from Minnesota's Elk River. He is known as 'Gorilla' because of his physique. Read Israel Iran conflict live updates Kurilla graduated from West Point's United States Military Academy with a BS in Aerospace Engineering. He also has an MBA from Regis University and a MS in National Security Studies from the National War College. Kurilla joined the infantry in 1988. General Michael 'Erik' Kurilla , Commander of U.S. Central Command. Reuters He has seen action in several countries including Panama, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia. From 2004 to 2014, Kurilla led conventional and special operations forces in the US Central Command Area of Responsibility. He has been awarded several honours including Bronze Star in 2005 and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. Kurilla was awarded the Bronze Star for leading his troops in the battle after being shot thrice. Kurilla was investigated by the US army last year for allegedly shoving a service member while being on a trip to West Asia. General Kurilla is married to Mary Paige. They have two daughters. How is he directing the US' plans? Kurilla has been Chief of Staff of CENTCOM, the combatant command in the Middle East and Central Asia, since April 2022. CENTCOM is the US military's top body in West Asia. Officials say Kurilla seems to get whatever he wants – from jet fighters to aircraft carriers – from Hegseth. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Pentagon sent a second aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, to West Asia this week. The Pentagon has already deployed F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s to the region. Kurilla, who is said to be a noted hawk on Iran, is close to Israel. In fact, Hegseth's deference to Kurilla is raising eyebrows around the Pentagon. Experts say much of it comes down to the fact that he looks the part – which is particularly important to both Trump and Hegseth. 'He's got the look of the general that both Hegseth and Trump are looking for,' an ex-official told Politico. 'He's a big dude, he's jacked, he's exactly this 'lethality' look they're going for.' An F-35 fighter jet on the deck of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington. (Photo: AP) 'If the senior military guys come across as tough and warfighters, Hegseth is easily persuaded to their point of view,' the former official added. Kurilla 'has been very good at getting what he wants.' Kurilla has frequently a rgued against the recommendations of his superiors Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Both Caine and Colby have urged caution when dealing with the situation in West Asia. 'He's extremely strategic and persuasive about what CENTCOM can do given adequate resources,' Dan Shapiro, who until January was the Pentagon's top West Asia policy official, told the outlet. 'That was certainly true in the Biden administration. It may be more true now.' Kurilla earlier this month told the US Congress that he offered President Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth a 'wide range' of military options in case talks with Iran don't pan out. With inputs from agenices
