United States: Donald Trump has not decided whether the United States will enter Israel’s war with Iran, as Tehran warns that any American military intervention would result in irreparable damage.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his first remarks, condemned Israel’s actions as a huge mistake and issued a stark warning to Washington. Khamenei stated that, “The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”
US intelligence reports suggest Iran has begun preparing missiles and other equipment to target American bases in the region should the US join the war. Hours after Khamenei’s warning, Trump revealed that Iranian officials had reached out requesting talks, even suggesting a White House visit, an assertion Tehran flatly denied.
On the military front, the US is strategically positioning forces. The Pentagon has ordered the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier from Singapore to the Middle East, with the USS Carl Vinson already stationed in the Arabian Sea. Air refuelling tankers are also being moved to bases in Spain and Greece to potentially support B-2 bomber missions from Missouri.
Despite rising hostilities, diplomatic moves are underway. The UK, France, and Germany are expected to meet with Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will also attend. The meeting could mark a critical turning point, with Iran signalling its openness to diplomacy but rejecting direct talks with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, over US backing of Israeli military action.
The focus of the Geneva talks will be Iran’s nuclear programme, especially the fortified Fordow facility near Qom, which Israel says must be destroyed to prevent long-term nuclear capability. Israeli officials argue only US bunker-buster bombs carried by B-2 bombers can take it out.
Israel maintains that the war is a defensive effort aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. However, its bombing campaign has included civilian infrastructure, prompting international concern. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz called the offensive a strike on Iran’s symbols of power, claiming the regime could be in its final days. Meanwhile, Russia has offered to mediate, with President Vladimir Putin expressing willingness to de-escalate the situation.
The humanitarian toll is rising. Iran has reported at least 224 fatalities from Israeli strikes, though independent figures from Human Rights Activists in Iran put the death toll at 585, with more than 1,300 wounded. On the Israeli side, 24 civilians have been killed by Iranian missile attacks.
With over 400 missiles launched by Tehran so far, Israel’s air defence systems, while effective are under strain. Despite Israel’s belief that the US would ultimately back it militarily, Trump’s ambiguous stance leaves the future course of US involvement uncertain, even as regional tensions near a boiling point.
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