Trump Open to Striking Iran Again — But Only Under One Condition

In an apparent attempt to heighten tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he may think about launching another strike if Iran recovers from the most recent attack. He pointed out that there was conflicting but potentially serious intelligence regarding the damage to Iranian nuclear sites.

US President Donald Trump indicated a willingness to escalate if tensions continue by responding “yes” on Wednesday when asked if the US would launch another assault if Iran rebuilt following the latest attack.

Although he acknowledged that the intelligence gathered after the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites was inconclusive, he also hinted that there might have been significant harm.

“The intelligence was incredibly ambiguous. We don’t know, the intelligence says. It might have been quite serious. “That’s what the intelligence indicates,” Trump told reporters prior to a NATO summit with international leaders.

“It was really bad. The obliteration occurred. “Decades have been lost in Iran’s nuclear program,” he continued.

He added that this was a huge win for everyone and that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel is proceeding nicely.

Israel bombarded Iranian nuclear and military targets over the course of a 12-day battle, and Iran fired waves of missiles at its adversary in their bloodiest-ever encounter.

Over the weekend, the United States joined the battle in support of its friend, using enormous bunker-buster bombs to destroy two nuclear installations and a submarine-guided missile to strike a third.

Israel’s military had earlier stated that it was “still early” to determine the extent of the harm done to Iran’s nuclear program.

Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin stated, “I think we have dealt a serious blow to the nuclear program, and I can also say that we have delayed it by several years.”

However, US media reported Tuesday that the American strikes did not completely destroy Iran’s enriched uranium stores or centrifuges, according to persons familiar with the Defence Intelligence Agency intelligence report.

According to the article, the strikes blocked access to some facilities without demolishing subterranean structures.

Israel claimed that the goal of its June 13 bombing operation was to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, a goal Tehran has continuously denied.

Following the truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that “we have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project” in a speech to the country.

“And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

Iranian parliamentarians agreed on Wednesday to halt collaboration with the UN nuclear watchdog, citing “legitimate rights,” according to state television.

According to the station, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated, “The International Atomic Energy Agency put its international credibility up for auction by refusing to even slightly condemn the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.”

The Guardian Council, which has the authority to review laws, must still approve the decision to halt cooperation with the IAEA.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Tuesday that his nation would continue to “assert its legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic energy, but he was open to resuming talks over its nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities will have “serious and profound repercussions” for the destiny of the nation in an interview with the news site Al Araby Al Jadeed.

Although it has failed to “protect us or our nuclear program,” he stated that Iran was still committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and that its strategy for dealing with the non-proliferation system “will undergo changes,” without providing any details.

Shadow War

Even though Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war for many years, their 12-day combat was by far their most damaging encounter.

Waves of Iranian missile fire were directed against Israel after Israeli strikes struck military and nuclear targets, killing scientists and high-ranking military officials, as well as civilian areas.

Following an Iranian retaliation against a US military installation in Qatar, the biggest in the Middle East, the war ended with US strikes on Iranian nuclear targets underground using bunker-busting bombs, which Israel does not possess.

Trump dismissed the reaction as “weak” and thanked Tehran for providing advance notice and revealing the ceasefire’s parameters a few hours later. The truce was welcomed by some Israelis.

“At last, we can rest in peace. We feel better and are less anxious for the family and the children. And I pray it continues to be such. That’s what matters most,” Yossi Bin, a 45-year-old Tel Aviv engineer, told AFP.

People in Iran were still unsure if the peace would last. In an interview with AFP, Amir, 28, said, “I really don’t know… about the ceasefire but honestly, I don’t think things will return to normal.” He had fled Tehran to the coast of the Caspian Sea.

The health ministry reports that at least 610 civilians were killed and another 4,700 were injured in Israeli strikes on Iran. Official data and rescues report that 28 people were killed in Iran’s attacks on Israel.