According to insiders, President Donald Trump is losing interest in a diplomatic approach to settle Tehran’s worsening dispute with Israel and is becoming more receptive to deploying US military resources to attack Iranian nuclear sites. Although the sources stated that Trump is still amenable to a diplomatic solution—provided Iran makes substantial concessions—the new, more assertive stance marks a substantial change in Trump’s thinking.
Is Trump abandoning diplomacy for military action against Iran?
Discussions among Trump administration officials had remained focused on attempting to find a diplomatic solution that would act as an off-ramp throughout the weekend and into Monday.
However, Trump made it clear early on Tuesday that he was growing impatient with diplomacy. Later, he intensified his demands for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” and claimed that although it would not murder Iran’s supreme leader “for now,” America was aware of his whereabouts.
The concept of sending top officials to a predetermined site in the Middle East to meet with the Iranians and try to work out a deal has been abandoned by Trump, according to sources.
Will the US help refuel Israeli jets over Iran?
Trump could opt to direct the US Air Force to assist in refueling Israeli fighter planes as they conduct strikes over Iran, military officials were bracing for. According to the sources, this is one of the reasons why around 30 US aircraft refueling tankers have been sent to the area in recent days.
According to the sources, US military intervention would be limited to refueling Israeli planes. According to one of the individuals, the tankers have been repositioned more generally to provide Trump and US Central Command with “options” in the event that the situation worsens. This includes the possibility of coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear installations, which CENTCOM offered to Trump.
His vice president gave one of the most obvious indications to date that Trump was considering launching aggressive action to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities on Tuesday, following his sudden return to Washington from the G7 Summit.
Is Israel pressuring the US to join the conflict?
On Tuesday, Trump was in the White House Situation Room meeting with his national security staff. Trump has been under pressure from Israel to step up its efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, which top Iranian officials have stated would need American aircraft and weaponry. Israel was more hopeful that the United States would join the war against Iran. However, the source claimed that the Trump administration had not yet made a formal decision that would be sent to the Israelis.
There have been strong voices in his own party urging him to stay out of another foreign war, but the president had not been very clear until Tuesday about whether he would give in to Israel’s insistence. Beyond offering defensive assistance to intercept Iranian missiles and US information, Trump had been hesitant to urge the US to intervene actively on behalf of the Israelis.
Why was the Oman-mediated backchannel suddenly abandoned?
However, Trump sounded more aggressive in a series of social media statements on Tuesday, using the pronoun “we” to refer to military action in Iran. Trump again used the pronoun “we” to refer to information that pinpointed the location of Iran’s supreme leader in a different article.
As the US and Iran moved toward a potential nuclear deal, the Trump administration has mostly depended on the Omanis in recent months to organize five rounds of discussions and relay signals to Iranian officials. However, according to those familiar with the situation, the administration’s strategy shifted when Israel first started conducting the significant operation that targeted Iran’s nuclear installations.
According to insiders, Trump gave special envoy Steve Witkoff instructions to try to meet with Iranian officials as soon as possible. The administration also enlisted the help of many regional parties, such as the Saudis, the Turks, the Egyptians, and the Qataris, to get Iran back to the negotiating table.
Could US involvement escalate into a wider regional war?
Officials from the Trump administration have been keeping a careful eye on Israel’s public and private talks about its intentions to intensify offensive assaults against Iran during the coming days. According to an official, Trump’s order on Monday for Tehran residents to leave was motivated by those signs.
Whether the president will ultimately support Israel’s endeavor to completely eradicate Iran’s nuclear capability is still up in the air. The prospect exists, according to people involved with the behind-the-scenes discussions, particularly if the Iranians don’t make a more concerted effort to find a solution.
