Trump Hints at Swift Operation Against Two Targets in Iran
Trump confirmed the destruction of Iran's military capabilities and the existence of two remaining targets, while Rezaei confirmed a change in Washington's tone in diplomatic messages.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Washington – Agencies: U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that the United States has destroyed a significant portion of Iran’s military capabilities, but noted that it still needs to “deal with” one or two targets, while Tehran threatened to launch a counterattack in the event of further strikes. Trump confirmed that negotiations with Iran to end the war are “going well, but as you know, they are not entirely trustworthy.” He reiterated that the United States is in no hurry to take offensive action because it has already inflicted major damage on Iran’s military capabilities and its nuclear program.
Speaking to reporters at his residence in Florida, Trump said, “We have eliminated their nuclear capabilities. We still have one or two sites to deal with, but we can accomplish that within 10 minutes,” referring to the “Mount Axe” facility located in Isfahan province, approximately 200 kilometers south of Tehran.
Media reports suggest the possibility of a short and intense military campaign following the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for Tuesday. In a related development, The Wall Street Journal cited informed sources stating that Trump held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, as Washington prepares to resume combat operations against Iran. The call came days after Trump met at the White House with senior military leaders to discuss available options for resuming broader combat operations in the region, according to the newspaper.
Israeli media reported that the Israeli Defense Forces have completed their preparations for a military confrontation with Iran, emphasizing that the United States and Israel are engaged in intensive dialogue and operational coordination to define objectives for the new operation against Tehran. Channel 12 of Israeli television quoted U.S. officials as saying that Trump is facing pressure from Netanyahu to resume combat after the congressional elections, amid pressure from mediators to reach an agreement with Tehran.
In this context, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that President Trump has not yet made a decision regarding new strikes. Rubio said during a press conference while the G20 summit was taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, “We can achieve military objectives if we seek to do so.” He added, “I have no announcement on this matter today, and we are not treating any of this lightly.”
While strongly criticizing Iran for deliberately and openly targeting commercial ships, the U.S. Secretary of State expressed Trump’s preference for reaching a diplomatic solution to end the war. Rubio said, “I will not provide a description of the progress made in the talks, nor any timeline for them, other than saying that we will remain open to reaching a diplomatic solution if possible.” He noted, “There are active and ongoing communications and discussions with Iran, some of which have taken place directly, but most through intermediaries.”
On the other hand, Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, confirmed that he had reviewed the message previously sent to him by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, stating that he had not yet responded. In an interview with Iranian television, Rezaei pointed out that the tone of the Americans in the message “has completely changed,” considering it a “good sign.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Army spokesperson Mohammad Akbarinia said that “any future war could last longer than the previous one, and the U.S. President will not be in a position to dictate the timing of its end or the conditions for its termination,” according to Iranian state television.
