Trump weighs potential U.S. military intervention in Israel-Iran conflict

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Trump weighs potential U.S. military intervention in Israel-Iran conflict

2025-06-19 12:31 Last Updated At：14:17

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is weighing potential U.S. military intervention in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, without disclosing specifics.

Trump expressed his support to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for continued strikes on Iran, but declined to clarify whether the United States would join the military action when asked by media reporters.

While acknowledging uncertainty about how long the conflict might last, he stressed that the coming week would be "very critical."

According to a report by Wall Street Journal, Trump told senior aides late Tuesday that he approved an attack plan against Iran, but was holding off on execution to see if Iran would abandon its nuclear program.

People familiar with the U.S. plan said that Trump wants to pressure Iran to concede his request.

Trump also said Wednesday that the U.S. is not seeking a ceasefire, rather a total and complete victory, which means that Iran does not possess a nuclear weapon.

He added that a diplomatic agreement was still possible and claimed Iran had expressed willingness to negotiate and proposed to send a delegation to the White House.

Since April, the U.S. and Iran have held five rounds of indirect talks on Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief. A sixth round, scheduled for June 15 in Oman, was canceled following Israeli airstrikes on Iran last Friday, which has caused a large number of casualties and prompted missile and drone attacks from Iran as retaliation.

Following the attack, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran would not resume talks with the U.S. as long as Israeli attacks continue.

According to a CNN report, the United States is set to deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier to Europe, close to the Middle East, next week. It is likely to sail to the eastern Mediterranean, near Israel, which would make it the third U.S. aircraft carrier present in the region.

Now the USS Carl Vinson is the only aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East by the U.S. Previously, while the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz is reported to have changed its course and moved towards the Middle East.

Additionally, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. bombers have arrived at two military bases in Spain as part of the U.S. military buildup in response to the Israel-Iran conflict. She also expressed her hope for an early peace agreement between Israel and Iran.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that he would not publicly disclose whether he had provided Trump with a strike plan against Iran, but once Trump makes a decision, the Pentagon is ready to carry it out.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.