Iran could ‘activate’ Hezbollah if US targets regime, Trump’s inner circle to decide: expert
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has tightened control over Hezbollah in the Middle East amid looming prospects of potential U.S. strikes, according to reports.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the tactical shift comes as Hezbollah and Iran prepare for military confrontation in the region, with analysts warning that if Washington specifically strikes the regime, Hezbollah is ready to be “activated.”
“If the regime in Tehran feels threatened, the likelihood of unleashing Hezbollah against Israel and U.S. regional assets increases substantially,” Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.
“Hezbollah would not be activated right away, unless the attack immediately targets the leadership of the Islamic Republic. But as part of a graduated response, Hezbollah will likely be seen as an asset,” he said.
“If it faces an existential risk, then Iran may throw caution to the wind and try to deploy Hezbollah to the maximum,” Harrison explained.
IRAN SIGNALS NUCLEAR PROGRESS IN GENEVA AS TRUMP CALLS FOR FULL DISMANTLEMENT
President Donald Trump previously gave Iran a deadline of 10 to 15 days to respond to a deal, raising questions about what steps Washington could take if Tehran fails to comply.
A new round of talks is now scheduled for Thursday in Geneva and expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program, including uranium enrichment levels and sanctions relief.
“The decision-making circle in the White House is very small regarding Iran, with the president keeping a close hand on it all,” Harrison explained.
He added that any decision to directly target the Iranian regime would likely rest within Trump’s inner circle of advisers.
“Normally there is input from the National Security Council and the wider intelligence community,” Harrison said. “Since the decision-making process in the White House is opaque, it is hard to know how much of this is getting through.”
WITKOFF WARNS IRAN IS ‘A WEEK AWAY’ FROM ‘BOMB-MAKING MATERIAL’ AS TRUMP WEIGHS ACTION
“If the U.S. is engaging with the Saudis and Emiratis, they are getting warnings about the possibility of this war spreading to the broader region, which would be deleterious to the U.S. and its allies,” he added.
Harrirson also warned that there was “potential for attacks to spread across the region, to Israel through direct Iranian ballistic attacks and via Hezbollah, and to the Gulf Arab states through Iran directly and possibly via the Houthis from Yemen.”
Regional media reports also suggest Iran’s ties with Hezbollah are strengthening. Sources told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that IRGC officers have been rebuilding Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and managing strategic war plans.
The coordination follows changes within Hezbollah’s leadership, Harrison explained.
“Since the killing by Israel of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year, ties and operational coordination have to some degree been reestablished,” he said.
“The IRGC has supported Hezbollah in Lebanon for decades,” he said, adding that efforts to reestablish ties appear to be occurring “particularly in light of the destruction of Iran’s nuclear sites last June.”
IRAN DRAWS MISSILE RED LINE AS ANALYSTS WARN TEHRAN IS STALLING US TALKS
“Iran is trying to resurrect lost assets, such as its missile program and its connections to Hezbollah,” Harrison said.
“Hezbollah has been seen for decades by Iran as a deterrence asset against an Israeli or American attack. Since Hezbollah has its own interests, connected to but separate from Iran, whether its leadership will go all the way for Tehran is unknown,” he concluded.
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The developments surrounding Hezbollah and the IRGC came as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed close ally Ali Larijani as the country’s de facto leader, according to reports.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Iran announces test of new naval air defense missile in Strait of Hormuz as US military buildup continues
Iran announced Sunday that it tested a new naval air defense missile during military drills in the Strait of Hormuz as the United States continues to increase its military presence in the region.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy launched the Sayyad 3-G missile for the first time during the “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” exercise, according to Iran’s state-linked Mehr News Agency.
The Sayyad 3-G, a naval adaptation of Iran’s land-based Sayyad-3 air defense system, is reported to have a range of approximately 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) and can be fired from ship-based vertical launch systems.
The missile is intended to intercept military aircraft, maritime patrol planes and high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles.
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S IRAN BUILDUP MIRRORS 2003 IRAQ WAR SCALE AS TENSIONS ESCALATE
Iranian state media said it can integrate into a ship’s onboard radar systems and command-and-control network while also maintaining independent tracking capability.
The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions and a continued U.S. military buildup in the Gulf as Washington holds talks with Tehran over its nuclear program.
The U.S. currently has a significant buildup of naval and air assets positioned around Iran, particularly across the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
IRAN SAYS US MUST ‘PROVE THEY WANT TO DO A DEAL’ ON NUCLEAR TALKS IN GENEVA
The U.S. has been building up forces in the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and multiple guided-missile destroyers operating in the Arabian Sea, as well as additional destroyers stationed in the Mediterranean and Red Sea.
Several combat ships are also positioned in the Persian Gulf near Iran’s southern coastline.
At least one U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia is shown hosting aircraft, with additional installations across the region supporting air operations and logistics.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN HAS 15 DAYS TO REACH A DEAL OR FACE ‘UNFORTUNATE’ OUTCOME
In an interview Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said diplomacy remains the only path forward and dismissed the impact of the U.S. military buildup.
“There is no need for any military buildup, and military buildup cannot help it and cannot pressurize us,” he said.
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Araghchi confirmed that Iranian and U.S. negotiators are expected to meet again Thursday in Geneva, saying he believes it is “quite possible” to prepare a draft text and reach a deal quickly.
He added that talks are focused solely on nuclear issues and “there is no other subject.”
Witkoff warns Iran is ‘a week away’ from ‘bomb-making material’ as Trump weighs action
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff warned Saturday that Iran could be “a week away” from having “industrial-grade bomb-making material,” raising urgent questions about what President Donald Trump could do next to address the looming threat.
“It’s up to 60%,” Witkoff said of Iran’s enrichment level. “They’re probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material.”
The “dangerous” proposition, Witkoff said on “My View with Lara Trump,” comes despite Trump’s “zero enrichment” red line, which he accused Iran of violating “well beyond” what a civil nuclear program requires.
“We can’t have that,” he said. “This is something that they have to stick with until they prove to us that they can behave.”
TRUMP WARNS IRAN, DELAYS STRIKES AS RED LINE DEBATE ECHOES OBAMA’S SYRIA MOMENT
Witkoff told Fox News that the president is “curious” why Iran has not shifted course despite mounting U.S. pressure in the region.
“With the amount of sea power, naval power that we have over there, why they haven’t come to us and said, ‘We profess that we don’t want a weapon?'”
But external pressures are only part of the picture. The Islamic regime faces additional pressures from its own civilians, prompting unrest and state-driven aggression against protesters.
TRUMP GIVES IRAN 10-DAY ULTIMATUM, BUT EXPERTS SIGNAL TALKS MAY BE BUYING TIME FOR STRIKE
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who has discussed the proposition of Iranian regime change on multiple occasions, has previously expressed faith in Trump’s ability and willingness to help topple the regime.
Pahlavi has outlined a series of measures the U.S. could take to weaken the ayatollah, including neutralizing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), cracking down on “ghost tankers” that secretly transport sanctioned oil and fund the regime, expelling diplomats or holding them accountable for criminal behavior, freezing oligarchs’ assets, supporting protesters with internet access and calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Iran.
Witkoff told Lara Trump he met with Pahlavi at the president’s direction.
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“I think he’s strong for his country, cares about his country, but this is going to be about President Trump’s policies, not Mr. Pahlavi’s policies,” he said.
“I think the president is interested in hearing everyone’s views. He has no pride of authorship [which] is maybe the best way for me to say it, which I greatly respect because he’s open to new ideas and new ways of thinking.”
Exiled Iranian princess: Islamic regime ‘has never been this close’ to falling, people ‘begging’ Trump to help
Exiled Iranian Princess Noor Pahlavi made an impassioned plea for President Donald Trump‘s help this weekend, saying the Iranians had never been so close to overthrowing the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Pahlavi made the statement during an interview with The California Post, saying her “heart breaks” over Iran despite the fact that she has never stepped foot there. Her grandfather, the former Shah of Iran, was deposed roughly 47 years ago.
“Imagine if this were happening to you and your country,” she said, referencing a crackdown on regime protesters. “It’s happening at the hands of the government, the government that’s meant to protect them.
“It’s literally a government waging war on its own citizens. It’s just incredibly painful to watch, to hear about. And it’s hard for people here to see and hear about. But it’s our responsibility not to look away,” she added.
IRAN’S PRESIDENT STRIKES SOFTER TONE ON NUCLEAR TALKS AFTER TRUMP’S WARNING THAT ‘BAD THINGS WOULD HAPPEN’
“It’s never been this close, and the regime has never been this weak,” she continued.
“The people really listened when the president told them that help was on the way and that they should continue taking to the streets. They’ve named streets after him. They’re holding up signs with his face on them. They’re begging him to come in and help them because they’re fighting this government empty-handed,” she added.
The Trump administration has been building up U.S. military strength near Iran for weeks.
Potential U.S. military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals and even pursue regime change, according to a new report.
GLOBAL PROTESTS CALL FOR IRAN REGIME CHANGE IN MAJOR CITIES WORLDWIDE AFTER BLOODY CRACKDOWN
Two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity reportedly said those are options that have emerged in the planning stage, if ordered by President Donald Trump. They did not say which individuals could be targeted, but Trump, notably, in 2020 ordered the U.S. military attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.
Trump already said Friday that he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders into a deal over its nuclear program, when asked by a reporter at the White House.
Last week, when questioned if he wanted regime change in Iran, the president said, “Well it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.”
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Trump on Thursday suggested the window for a breakthrough is narrowing in talks with Iran, indicating Tehran has no more than “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum” to reach an agreement.
“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” he said.
Potential US military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals, pursue regime change: report
Potential U.S. military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals and even pursue regime change, a report said.
Two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity reportedly said those are options that have emerged in the planning stage, if ordered by President Donald Trump. They did not say which individuals could be targeted, but Trump, notably, in 2020 ordered the U.S. military attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Department of War for comment.
Trump already said Friday that he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders into a deal over its nuclear program, when asked by a reporter at the White House.
BUILT FOR WEEKS OF WAR: INSIDE THE FIREPOWER THE US HAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Last week, when questioned if he wanted regime change in Iran, the president said, “Well it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.”
Trump on Thursday suggested the window for a breakthrough is narrowing in talks with Iran, indicating Tehran has no more than “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum” to reach an agreement.
“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” he said.
TRUMP GIVES IRAN 10-DAY ULTIMATUM, BUT EXPERTS SIGNAL TALKS MAY BE BUYING TIME FOR STRIKE
A Middle Eastern source with knowledge of the negotiations told Fox News Digital this week that Tehran understands how close the risk of war feels and is unlikely to deliberately provoke Trump at this stage.
However, the source said Iran cannot accept limitations on its short-range missile program, describing the issue as a firm red line set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iranian negotiators are not authorized to cross that boundary, and conceding on missiles would be viewed internally as equivalent to losing a war.
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The source indicated there may be more flexibility about uranium enrichment parameters if sanctions relief is part of the equation.
Israelis keep suitcases packed and ready as Trump weighs potential Iran strike decision
For more than a month, Michal Weits has kept suitcases packed by the front door of her house in Tel Aviv.
“We have our bags ready for weeks,” she said. “Three weeks ago, there were rumors that it was the night the U.S. would attack Iran. At midnight, we pulled the kids out of their beds and drove to the north, where it is supposed to be safer.”
Weits, the artistic director of the international documentary film festival Docaviv, is speaking from her own traumatic experience. During the 12-day war, an Iranian missile struck her Tel Aviv home. She, her husband, and their two young children were inside the safe room when it collapsed on her.
TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF ‘MIDNIGHT HAMMER’ OPERATION
“After an Iranian missile hit our home and we lost everything we had, we also lost the feeling of ‘it won’t happen to me,’” she said. “We are prepared, as much as it’s really possible.”
Weits remembers the surreal contrast of those days. Four days after being injured in the missile strike, while still in the hospital, she was told she had won an Emmy Award for the documentary she produced about the Nova massacre on Oct. 7.
“Four days earlier an 800-kilogram explosive missile fell on our home and I was injured, and four days later I woke up on my birthday to news that I had won an Emmy,” she said. “It can’t be more surreal than this. That is the experience of being Israeli, from zero to one hundred.”
She says Israelis have learned to live inside that swing. “Inside all of this, life continues,” she said. “Kids go to school, you go to the supermarket, Purim arrives and you prepare, and you don’t know if any of it will actually happen. We didn’t make plans for this weekend because we don’t know what will happen.”
That gap — between visible routine and private fear — defines this moment. The fear she describes is now part of the national atmosphere.
MORNING GLORY: WHAT WILL PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP DECIDE TO DO WITH IRAN?
On the surface, Israel looks normal. The beaches are crowded in the warm weather. Cafés are full. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has risen in recent days. Children go to school as Israelis prepare for the Jewish holiday of Purim and costumes are being prepared.
But inside homes and across local news broadcasts, one question dominates: when will it happen? When will President Donald Trump decide whether to strike Iran — and what will that mean for Israel?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Home Front Command and emergency services to prepare for possible escalation, with Israeli media reporting a state of “maximum alert” across security bodies.
Speaking at an officer graduation ceremony this week, Netanyahu warned Tehran: “If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will face a response they cannot even imagine.” He added that Israel is “prepared for any scenario.”
The military message was echoed by the IDF. “We are monitoring regional developments and are aware of the public discourse regarding Iran,” IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. “The IDF remains vigilant in defense, our eyes are open in every direction and our readiness in response to any change in the operational reality is greater than ever.”
TRUMP VOWS TO ‘KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF’ IRAN IF NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS REBUILT AGAIN AFTER HIGH-STAKES MEETING
Yet the psychological shift inside Israel goes deeper than official statements.
For years, Israelis lived with rockets from Hamas. The Iranian strikes felt different.
“The level of destruction from Iran was something Israelis had not experienced before,” said Israeli Iran expert Benny Sabti. “People are used to rockets from Gaza. This was a different scale of damage. It created real anxiety.”
Iron Dome, long seen as nearly impenetrable, was less effective against heavier Iranian missiles. Buildings collapsed. Entire neighborhoods were damaged.
“People are still traumatized,” Sabti said. “They are living on the edge for a long time now.”
At the same time, he stressed that the country is better prepared today.
“There are feelings, and there are facts,” Sabti said. “The facts are that Israel is better prepared now. The military level is doing serious preparation. They learned from the last round.”
The earlier wave of protests inside Iran had sparked hope in Israel that internal pressure might weaken or topple the regime. Weits told Fox News Digital, “I am angry at the Iranian government, not the Iranian people. I will be the first to travel there when it’s possible. I hope they will be able to be free — that all of us will be able to be free.”
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Despite losing her home and suffering hearing damage from the blast, she says the greater loss was psychological. “There is no more complacency,” she said. “The ‘it won’t happen to me’ feeling is gone.”
Across Israel, that sentiment resonates.
US to unveil platform aiming to bypass internet censorship in China, Iran and beyond
FIRST ON FOX: The State Department has finalized a new privacy-preserving app intended to give users worldwide access to what officials describe as the same uncensored internet available to Americans, even in countries with strict online repression such as China and Iran and as Europe enacts tighter content oversight.
The platform, Freedom.gov, will roll out “in the coming weeks,” Fox News Digital has learned.
It will operate as a one-click desktop and mobile application compatible with iOS and Android devices.
MARCO RUBIO VOICES CONCERN THAT AMERICANS MAY SOMEDAY BE ARRESTED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WHEN VISITING EUROPE
The app is open-source and includes built-in anonymity protections.
The initiative comes as governments worldwide tighten control over digital speech, from China’s “Great Firewall” to sweeping internet shutdowns in Iran and new regulatory regimes in Europe. U.S. officials say Freedom.gov is designed to offer a technological counterweight — exporting what they describe as America’s open internet model to users living under censorship.
“In the interest of total transparency, we made Freedom.gov completely open-source. But we also made it completely anonymous,” a State Department official said. “Anyone can see how it works. No one, including us, can track or identify you.”
According to the official, the application does not log IP addresses, session data, browsing activity, DNS queries or device identifiers that could be used to personally identify users.
Specific details about the app’s underlying technical structure were not disclosed.
Governments with sophisticated censorship systems historically have moved quickly to block or criminalize circumvention tools. Authorities can restrict app downloads, block domains, throttle traffic or impose penalties on users.
Whether Freedom.gov maintains accessibility in heavily restricted environments may depend on its technical architecture and its ability to adapt to countermeasures.
The initiative is being led by Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, who oversees the State Department’s Digital Freedom office.
“Freedom.gov is the latest in a long line of efforts by the State Department to protect and promote fundamental freedoms, both online and offline,” Rogers said. “The project will be global in its scope, but distinctly American in its mission: commemorating our commitment to free expression as we approach our 250th birthday.”
Reuters previously reported that the State Department was developing the Freedom.gov platform.
The rollout comes amid intensifying global battles over internet governance, as governments across Europe and beyond move to assert greater control over online content.
GOOGLE’S DECISION TO WALK BACK BIDEN-ERA YOUTUBE ACCOUNT BANS HAILED AS ‘HUGE DEVELOPMENT’ FOR FREE SPEECH
In Europe, regulators have tightened oversight under new laws aimed at policing digital platforms. The European Union’s Digital Services Act expands government authority over major platforms and requires removal of illegal content, including hate speech and extremist material, with regulators empowered to impose steep fines for violations.
In the United Kingdom, the Online Safety Act imposes new obligations on platforms to address harmful and illegal content and includes age-verification requirements for certain services. Critics warn the measures risk incentivizing aggressive content removal and expanding government influence over lawful speech online.
Elsewhere, restrictions have been more direct. Russia recently moved to ban WhatsApp, further consolidating state control over digital communications.
China maintains the world’s most sophisticated online censorship system, widely known as the “Great Firewall,” blocking foreign news outlets and social media platforms while promoting a state-controlled digital ecosystem.
Iran repeatedly has imposed sweeping internet shutdowns during periods of unrest. During protests, government blackouts have cut citizens off from global communications.
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The Wall Street Journal previously reported that thousands of Starlink satellite internet terminals were covertly brought into the country following a blackout, in an effort backed by the United States to help dissidents bypass censorship.
Iranian authorities have attempted to jam satellite signals and criminalized possession of such equipment. Satellite connectivity — which does not rely on domestic telecommunications infrastructure — has emerged as one of the few viable lifelines during shutdowns.
Trump gives Iran 10-day ultimatum, but experts signal talks may be buying time for strike
President Trump said in June he would decide “within the next two weeks” whether to strike Iran. He made the decision two days later.
On Thursday, he gave Tehran another deadline, saying the Islamic Republic has 10 to 15 days to come to the negotiating table or face consequences.
The compressed timeline now sits at the center of a new round of high-stakes nuclear diplomacy. But with Trump, deadlines can serve as both a warning and a weapon.
Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, told Fox News Digital, “The Iranian regime has been operating under a grand delusion that they can turn President Trump into President Obama, and President Trump has made it clear that that’s not happening.”
TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF ‘MIDNIGHT HAMMER’ OPERATION
Brodsky said there is little expectation inside the administration that diplomacy will produce a breakthrough.
“I think there’s deep skepticism in the Trump administration that this negotiation is going to produce any acceptable outcome,” he said.
Instead, he said, the talks may be serving a dual purpose.
“They’re using the diplomatic process to sharpen the choices of the Iranian leadership and to buy time to make sure that we have the appropriate military assets in the region,” Brodsky said.
A Middle Eastern source with knowledge of the negotiations told Fox News Digital Tehran understands how close the risk of war feels and is unlikely to deliberately provoke Trump at this stage.
However, the source said Iran cannot accept limitations on its short-range missile program, describing the issue as a firm red line set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iranian negotiators are not authorized to cross that boundary, and conceding on missiles would be viewed internally as equivalent to losing a war.
The source indicated there may be more flexibility about uranium enrichment parameters if sanctions relief is part of the equation.
According to Brodsky, Iran’s core positions remain unchanged.
“They’re trying to engage in a lot of distraction — shiny objects — to distract from the fact that they’re not prepared to make the concessions that President Trump is requiring of them,” he said.
“The Iranian positions do not change and have not changed fundamentally. They refuse to accept President Trump’s position on zero enrichment. They refuse to dismantle their nuclear infrastructure. They refuse limitations on Iran’s missile program, and they refuse to end support for terror groups.”
VANCE WARNS IRAN THAT ‘ANOTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE’ IF NUCLEAR DEAL NOT REACHED
Behnam Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, warned that Tehran may be preparing a different kind of proposal altogether.
“The first kind of deal that we have to be worried about … they may pitch an agreement that is based more on transposing the current reality onto paper. … These kinds of agreements are more like understandings,” Taleblu said.
“You take the present reality, and you transpose that onto paper, and then you make the U.S. pay for something it already achieved.”
Taleblu outlined what he sees as Tehran’s strategic objectives.
“The Iranians want three things, essentially,” he said. “The first is they want to deter and prevent a strike.
“The second is that they are actually using negotiations … to take the wind out of the wings of Iranian dissidents. And then the third is… they actually do want some kind of foreign financial stabilization and sanctions relief.”
“What the Iranians want is to play for time. … An agreement like this doesn’t really require the Iranians to offer anything.”
RETIRED GENERAL ARGUES MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN IS ‘BEST OPTION’ AS TRUMP FACES ‘HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY’
At the same time, Taleblu said the administration’s intentions remain deliberately opaque.
“It’s hard to read the tea leaves of the administration here,” Taleblu said. “Obviously, they don’t want a nuclear Iran, but also obviously they don’t want a long war in the Middle East.
“The military architecture they’re moving into the region is signaling that they’re prepared to engage in one anyway. The question that the administration has not resolved politically … is: What is the political end state of the strikes? That’s the cultivation of ambiguity that the president excels at.”
Jacob Olidort, chief research officer and director of American security at the America First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital, “The President has been clear that he wants to give diplomacy a chance. However, if, in his estimation, diplomatic efforts prove unsuccessful, he will almost certainly turn to military options. What is rightfully unpredictable is the specific objective and scope of military action the President may take.
“Specifically, will military action serve as a new layer of diplomatic pressure towards creating a new opportunity to make Iran agree to our demands — military force as coercive diplomacy — or simply achieve the intended objectives that diplomacy could not? Regardless, the President has a record of taking bold action to protect the American people from Iran’s threats.”
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Public sentiment inside Iran remains deeply divided, Iranian sources told Fox News Digital. Many view a foreign military invasion as unacceptable, while anger over the killing of young protesters continues to fuel domestic tensions and uncertainty.
With a 10 to 15-day window ticking, Trump’s deadline may function less as a calendar marker and more as leverage.
Trump says he is ‘considering’ a limited military strike to pressure Iran into nuclear deal
President Donald Trump said Friday he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders into a deal over its nuclear program.
“I guess I can say, I am considering that,” Trump said at a breakfast with governors at the White House, after being asked by a reporter, “Are you considering a limited military strike to pressure Iran into a deal?”
The president on Thursday suggested the window for a breakthrough is narrowing, indicating Iran has no more than “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum” to reach an agreement.
“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” he said.
THE ONLY MAP YOU NEED TO SEE TO UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS TRUMP IS ABOUT IRAN
Trump’s remarks come as the U.S. is building up military assets in the Middle East, sending the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group toward the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East more than two weeks ago.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN HAS 15 DAYS TO REACH A DEAL OR FACE ‘UNFORTUNATE’ OUTCOME
On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command posted photos showing F/A-18 Super Hornets landing on the decks of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
The next day, Russia warned Iran and “all parties in the region to exercise restraint and caution.”
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“Russia continues to develop relations with Iran, and in doing so, we call on our Iranian friends and all parties in the region to exercise restraint and caution, and we urge them to prioritize political and diplomatic means in resolving any problems,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters.
The only map you need to see to understand how serious Trump is about Iran
For weeks, the U.S. military has quietly amassed what President Donald Trump has described as an “armada” in Iran’s backyard. Mapped out across the Persian Gulf and beyond, the deployment tells its own story — one of calculated pressure backed by credible capability.
The latest signal of escalation is the movement of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford, and its strike group from the Caribbean toward the Middle East.
The buildup coincides with indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Trump has warned that the regime must fully dismantle its nuclear infrastructure — or face consequences.
THE WORLD’S TOP NUCLEAR POWERS HAVE NO ARSENAL LIMITS, HERE ARE THE COUNTRIES WITH NUKES
At the heart of America’s force projection is another carrier strike group: USS Abraham Lincoln — a mobile fortress at sea, guarded by destroyers and equipped to unleash precision strikes at a moment’s notice. On deck, F-35 fighters and F/A-18 attack aircraft sit within range of dozens of key Iranian military and nuclear targets.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Mediterranean, destroyers USS Bulkeley and USS Roosevelt provide additional strike capability and missile defense coverage — and could potentially assist Israel in defending against any Iranian counterattack.
WORLD’S LARGEST AIRCRAFT CARRIER HEADS TO MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN NUCLEAR TENSIONS SPIKE DRAMATICALLY
Farther south, in the Red Sea, USS Delbert B. Black adds another layer of firepower along one of the world’s most important shipping lanes. The Red Sea links the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal, a corridor that carries a significant share of global trade and energy supplies.
A U.S. destroyer there not only protects commercial traffic but also gives Washington the flexibility to respond quickly to threats moving between the Middle East and Europe.
Even closer to Iran’s coastline, in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, USS McFaul and USS Mitscher are operating in one of the most strategically sensitive waterways on the planet. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz each day. Their presence signals that the U.S. can both defend that vital choke point and, if necessary, strike Iranian targets from close range.
IRAN DRAWS MISSILE RED LINE AS ANALYSTS WARN TEHRAN IS STALLING US TALKS
Beyond naval forces, U.S. air power is spread across multiple Middle Eastern bases, giving commanders the ability to strike, defend and sustain operations quickly.
Several types of combat aircraft are operating from regional bases, including F-15s, F-16s and the radar-evading F-35. The A-10 specializes in close-air support missions against armored threats.
Those fighters are backed by a network of support aircraft. KC-135 and KC-46 tankers refuel jets midair, allowing them to fly farther and stay aloft longer. EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft can jam enemy radar and communications. E-3 Sentry aircraft serve as airborne command centers, tracking threats across wide areas. P-8 Poseidon planes patrol and monitor maritime activity.
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Additionally, heavy transports — including C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster aircraft — move troops and equipment, while MQ-9 Reaper drones provide surveillance and can carry precision weapons. The assets give U.S. commanders flexibility to operate across air, sea and land.
Taken together, the air and naval deployments create overlapping strike capability, missile defense coverage and control over major maritime routes. For Iran, it means U.S. forces are not concentrated in a single vulnerable location — they are distributed, layered and positioned to operate from multiple directions at once.
NORAD scrambles jets to intercept Russian bombers near Alaska
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) launched multiple U.S. fighter jets after tracking Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Thursday.
NORAD says it launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 and four KC-135s to “intercept, positively identify, and escort the aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ.”
“The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD said in a press release. “This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.”
Two Russian Tu-95s, two Su-35s, and one A-50 were identified in the ADIZ, though they did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, according to NORAD.
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The ADIZ airspace is a designated region that requires strict identification procedures between U.S. and Russian aircraft operating in the area. It’s considered a buffer zone that acts as a boundary between the two countries.
“NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America,” NORAD said in their statement on Thursday.
While this ADIZ isn’t sovereign U.S. airspace, the region is a strategic zone given its proximity to Russia. NORAD noted in their statement that the Russian activity that occurred on Thursday was not seen “as a threat.”
The military response comes as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned Iran and “all parties in the [Middle Eastern] region to exercise restraint and caution” as the U.S. continues to expand military presence overseas.
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“Russia continues to develop relations with Iran, and in doing so, we call on our Iranian friends and all parties in the region to exercise restraint and caution, and we urge them to prioritize political and diplomatic means in resolving any problems,” Peskov said Thursday, according to Reuters.
USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, and its strike group were deployed from the Caribbean Sea toward the Middle East in early to mid-February.
The massive carrier was reportedly seen transiting through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea this month. USS Gerald R. Ford joins USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers that also arrived in the Middle East in February.
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Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said that satellite images show that the Iranian regime is attempting to restore “2 trillion” uranium enrichment capabilities at the Isfahan complex, despite talks between the Trump administration and the Middle Eastern country.
The U.S. Air Force and Navy strikes that occurred on June 22 targeted the Isfahan complex, as well as Fordow and Natanz.
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Fox News Digital reached out to NORAD but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Iran possibly repositions strike drones amid Russia drills in Strait, expert says
Iran potentially repositioned strike drones and other military assets under the cover of joint drills with Russia in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, a defense expert has claimed.
In what he described as a “calculated escalation” amid rising tensions with the U.S., Cameron Chell suggested the Russian-led exercises could have provided cover for Iranian forces to move their drones into operational positions.
Chell, of defense firm Draganfly, told Fox News Digital that the possible repositioning followed reports of sightings of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones with precision strike capabilities in the region.
“The Russian drills — taking place along the coastline — would allow Iranian forces to possibly reposition its forces under the veil of doing military exercises,” Chell said.
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The combined exercises, reported by The Associated Press, also came as President Donald Trump pressed Iran further to make a deal to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions following indirect talks in Geneva.
“We’re going to make a deal, or we’re going to get a deal one way or the other,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday, signaling determination to secure an agreement.
Meanwhile, on Feb. 18, U.S. Central Command posted photos showing F/A-18 Super Hornets landing on the deck of USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
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Flight-tracking data in recent days also showed U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drones operating near Iran’s coastline.
One Triton was observed Feb. 14 and another on Feb. 18, conducting high-altitude maritime intelligence missions over the Gulf.
Chell noted the MQ Triton surveillance drone operating near Iran’s coastline.
He added these drones could likely launch from land bases in countries such as Saudi Arabia or Qatar and provide real-time situational awareness to naval commanders.
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Chell also added the MQ-9 Reaper, capable of precision strikes – and operates between 25,000 and 40,000 feet and is difficult for Iran to counter.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, USS Gerald R. Ford, the second aircraft carrier Trump has sent to the Middle East, and its accompanying ships are heading across the Atlantic Ocean into the Mediterranean Sea.
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NATO country and U.S. ally Poland also warned its citizens Thursday to immediately flee Iran, with its prime minister saying the “possibility of a conflict is very real.”