Trump Authorizes Iran Strike Plans, Final Decision Still Pending — Reports

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly approved military plans to strike Iran but has yet to make a definitive decision to proceed, according to CBS News, citing senior intelligence sources.

The proposed strikes are said to target Fordo, a fortified underground uranium enrichment site in Iran. Trump, however, is reportedly holding back on executing the attack in hopes that Tehran may yet abandon its nuclear ambitions.

This development follows heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting Trump’s call for unconditional surrender. In a speech on Wednesday, Khamenei warned that any U.S. military action would come at a steep cost. “The Iranian nation will not surrender,” he declared.

Responding dismissively, Trump said, “Good luck,” and refused to clarify his next steps. “Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he told reporters. “Unconditional surrender – that means I’ve had it.”

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Trump had greenlit the strike plan.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has intensified its offensive against Iran, striking missile stockpiles and nuclear facilities. Iran claimed to have responded with hypersonic missiles, although Israel reported no significant damage.

This comes amid ongoing Israeli strikes that began last Friday, prompting widespread panic in Tehran. Residents of the capital, home to 10 million people, have flooded outbound roads in search of safety.

Ayatollah Khamenei’s address on Wednesday marked his first public appearance since the Israeli strikes began.

Iran’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations fired back at Trump in a statement on social media, declaring, “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.” The post further asserted, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message that Israeli forces were “progressing step by step” in dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile threats. “We control the skies over Tehran,” he claimed, adding that strikes were targeting key regime installations.

In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured lawmakers that the Pentagon was fully prepared to carry out any directive issued by President Trump. This comes amid a buildup of U.S. military assets in the region. The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its strike group are en route from Southeast Asia to join the USS Carl Vinson already stationed in the Gulf. Meanwhile, additional aircraft including F-22 and F-35 fighter jets have been tracked moving into the region from Europe.

Diplomatic efforts continue alongside military positioning. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Washington, with Iran expected to dominate the agenda. However, no formal request has yet been made for the use of British bases in Diego Garcia or Cyprus, though sources say “all options remain on the table.”

In anticipation of further escalation, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem issued evacuation guidance for American citizens in Israel. It remains unclear how many are seeking to leave or whether military transport will be used.

Human Rights Activists, a U.S.-based monitoring group, reports that Israeli strikes since Friday have killed 585 people in Iran, including 239 civilians and 126 security forces. In return, Iran has launched roughly 400 missiles at Israel, killing 24 civilians according to Israeli officials.

Meanwhile, Iranian state television acknowledged a cyber breach during which a video was aired urging citizens to resist the regime. The station dismissed the content as enemy propaganda, blaming satellite jamming for the interruption. The hacked broadcast featured scenes from the 2022 mass protests and a message urging Iranians to “take control of your future.”