U.S. Military Urges Delay as Trump Weighs Iran Strikes

U.S. military commanders have warned President Donald Trump that additional time is needed to prepare before carrying out potential strikes against Iran, as protests across the country intensify and the administration weighs military options.

According to a report published today by the British Telegraph, Trump has been presented with a range of possible targets, including elements of Iran’s security services accused of carrying out a violent crackdown on demonstrators. However, American commanders in the Middle East cautioned that U.S. forces must first consolidate their positions and prepare defensive systems before launching any attack that could trigger Iranian retaliation.

Trump has publicly threatened to “get involved” if Iranian forces continue killing protesters, warning that the United States would hit Iran “very, very hard, where it hurts.” The report said the president has been briefed on options that include strikes on both military and non-military targets in Tehran, as well as direct action against regime security bodies.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned Washington against a “miscalculation,” saying that in the event of an attack, Israel as well as U.S. bases and ships would be considered legitimate targets.

Rights groups cited by the Telegraph estimate that around 192 people have been killed so far. Separately, the Iran International television channel reported that, according to what it described as conservative estimates, more than 2,000 people may have been killed in a 48-hour period. The true scale of casualties remains unclear due to a near-total internet blackout imposed by authorities.

The communications shutdown has now exceeded 70 hours. Monitoring group NetBlocks warned that the blackout presents “a direct threat to the safety and well-being of Iranians at a key moment for the country’s future.” Despite the restrictions, footage circulated showing security forces using live ammunition against protesters in the town of Abyek, northwest of Tehran, while hospitals were reported to be overwhelmed with gunshot victims.

Iranian officials have issued increasingly severe warnings. The country’s attorney general said protesters would be considered “enemies of God,” an offense punishable by death. Senior security figures have acknowledged large-scale arrests, while Ali Larijani, Iran’s security chief, said economic protests were “completely understandable” but accused what he termed riots of employing methods “very similar to terrorist groups.”

Israeli officials have placed the military on heightened alert due to the uncertainty. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that Israel would not allow Iran to rebuild its nuclear or ballistic missile capabilities.