ISRAEL and the US have reportedly launched airstrikes on Iran after spending weeks building up a formidable military presence in the Middle East.
Donald Trump warned the twisted Ayatollah he would be forced to blitz his regime if a nuclear deal put forward by Washington wasn’t signed off.
Strikes have rocked Iran
Donald Trump has reportedly launched airstrikes on Iran after spending weeks building up a formidable military presence in the Middle EastCredit: Splash
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been stationed within striking distance of Iran for weeks now with aircraft and high-tech weapons onboardCredit: AFP
The Abraham Lincoln being flanked by US warships in the Middle EastCredit: Reuters
White House officials were briefed about the possibility Trump could drop after a surging build-up of US warships and attack jets within striking distance of Tehran.
On Friday morning, Canada and China urged its citizens to evacuate Iran “as soon as possible”. And the US Embassy in Jerusalem told all non-emergency government personnel to leave Israel.
Trump has vowed to hit Iran as hard as possible if it continues to refuse to end its nuclear enrichment programs.
His staggering military deployment near to the mullahs’ regime sparked fears he would strike imminently.
Around one third of the US Navy amassed within striking distance of Tehran marking the biggest military build-up in the Middle East since the US invaded Iraq in 2003.
It remains unclear if the US will launch further attacks.
Trump is expected to have liaised with Israel over the strike plans.
Negotiations over ending Iran’s nuclear programmes have been ongoing for weeks now but it appears Trump’s patience has finally worn thin.
The US are adamant that Iran has accelerated its efforts to build a nuclear bomb and was working on ballistic missiles which could strike America.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance accused Khamenei’s regime of rebuilding secret atom plants smashed by US stealth bomber strikes last June.
Trump echoed the same claims in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, where he claimed Iran would soon be able to strike the US mainland.
Washington warned they would launch a broad campaign against Iran’s nuclear facilities and heads of state if a deal wasn’t made, the WSJ reported.
The blitz comes as a relative shock after Trump declared at a Board of Peace ceremony on Thursday that he was giving Iran .
In recent weeks, the in the Middle East as they looked poised to strike on Trump’s command.
The mighty and its strike group already in the region – putting two full carrier battle groups within reach of Tehran.
A dozen other warships and hundreds of fighter jets equipped with advanced air-defence systems have also been stationed near Iran.
And Trump’s ”, has been authorised for deployment.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is yet to respond to the strikes – with him suspected of cowering away in his notorious bunker.
He had warned last week that he lurking in the Persian Gulf if they showed any sign of preparing for a fight.
Khamenei said the US that “the strongest army in the world might sometimes receive such a slap that it cannot get back on its feet”.
With a full-scale conflict looming, civilians in Iran are continuing to mourn the lives of those killed during nationwide protests which started in December.
Official figures put the death toll from the horror attack on protesters at around 3,117.
While US-based human rights news agency Hrana fears the number is likely above 6,500.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is yet to respond to the strikes – with him suspected of cowering away in his notorious bunkerCredit: Not known clear with picture desk
This is the second time Trump has blitzed Iran in eight months after he struck their nuke sites with ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ in JuneCredit: AFP
Today’s attack is the second time Trump has directly launched strikes on Iran in the past eight months.
Back in June 2025, on Iranian nuke sites in strikes named Operation Midnight Hammer.
The US claimed they wiped out the majority of Iran’s nuclear capabilities but Tehran vowed they were still able to enrich uranium from the sites.
It remains unclear how Iran – as well as the rest of the Middle East – will react to Trump’s brazen attacks.
Iranian officials have warned in the past they will immediately reply with missiles of their own directed at US bases in the region.
This would destabilise the Middle East with Trump’s forces spread across multiple nations such as Turkey, Jordan and Bahrain.
What has the US sent to the Middle East
- Aircraft Carriers: 2 – USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) - Destroyers: 9
- Specialist ships: 3
- Fighter jets: 114+
- Bombers: 6
- Missiles: 800+
The Iranian army during a joint naval exercise in Sea of Oman this weekCredit: EPA
On Tuesday, memorial services were held across Iran for those killed in the crackdown with 40 days passing since the worst day of violenceCredit: AP
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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