President Donald Trump has reportedly approved plans for a military strike on Iran but is holding back final authorisation, in a move that has escalated global fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.
According to US media, citing a senior intelligence source, Trump is considering targeting Iran’s Fordo underground nuclear facility, as tensions with Tehran soar. While Trump has said he may or may not go ahead with the strike, he added ominously, “Unconditional surrender that means I’ve had it.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the threat in a fiery speech, vowing Iran would not back down to military pressure. “The Iranian nation will not surrender,” Khamenei declared, warning of a costly response to any US aggression.
Trump’s rhetoric and military buildup have drawn condemnation from both foreign leaders and international legal experts. Former Nigerian Foreign Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, told ARISE News it is a violation of international and American law to threaten the assassination of a sitting head of state. “And here is the American president saying to the Ayatollah, ‘We know where you are, What does that mean?” Akinyemi asked.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its campaign, claiming control of Tehran’s skies and launching coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear and missile sites. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is “striking with tremendous force at the regime of the ayatollahs.”
The escalation has led to chaos in Tehran, with thousands reportedly fleeing the capital, and in Israel, where the US embassy has issued evacuation guidance for American citizens. Over 585 Iranians including 239 civilians have reportedly been killed since Israel’s offensive began, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. Iran’s retaliatory missile barrage has claimed 24 Israeli civilian lives, according to Tel Aviv.
Adding to concerns, US military forces are rapidly mobilising. The USS Nimitz carrier strike group is moving into the region to join the USS Carl Vinson, and additional aircraft assets including F-22s and F-35s have been spotted heading east. Pentagon officials confirmed they are ready to act on any presidential order.
Amid the chaos, Iran’s state broadcaster was hacked to display anti-regime protest footage, which authorities blamed on “enemy jamming.”
Iranian state TV warned citizens to disregard the messages, calling them “irrelevant.”
The international community now watches with growing concern as diplomatic channels collapse and military posturing intensifies, raising fears of a full-scale war in the region.
Erizia Rubyjeana
