Trump Prepares a 'Surrender Strike'... Iran!
US President Donald Trump has ordered the continuation of military strikes against Iran, with indications that a new round of attacks could begin within the coming hours, aiming to “force Tehran to surrender,” according to US media reports, after he concluded that the diplomatic track had failed to yield the desired results.
In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has vowed to continue its attacks, suggesting that the exchange of strikes will persist, while prospects for a political settlement have diminished amid rising mistrust between Washington and Tehran.
Trump stated during a cabinet meeting at Camp David in Maryland, “We will hit them very hard, and as you know, at some point they will say... we can’t take it anymore.”
The Wall Street Journal cited US officials, who wished to remain anonymous, as saying that Trump ordered a new attack aimed at forcing Tehran to surrender, which could begin “within hours.”
CBS News reported that the United States and Israel are planning joint strikes on Iranian energy facilities, possibly over the US weekend, potentially targeting oil refineries and power generation plants.
Citing multiple unnamed sources, the network noted that the president had not yet given the green light for the bombing campaign, but Washington and Tel Aviv had coordinated on it.
The CBS report stated that many White House advisers objected to the plan during the cabinet meeting.
If carried out, these strikes would be the first in which Israel participates since the initial phase of the war.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the new round could last for several days, despite ongoing negotiations between the two sides, which could prompt Iran to resume missile attacks on Israel.
It added that Trump informed his aides of his declining confidence in reaching an agreement through negotiations, accusing Iranian officials of not taking the talks seriously, while reiterating his commitment to preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Concurrently, with discussions on expanding strikes underway, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it continued to enforce a naval blockade on Iran, noting that as of July 31, it had redirected 30 commercial vessels, halted two, and boarded two others to ensure compliance with the blockade, while allowing approximately 30 ships to pass for humanitarian purposes.
Reuters – Houthi rebels denied reports that they intended to impose fees on commercial ships transiting the Bab al-Mandab strait, announcing that no such decision had been taken and that passage through this strategic waterway remained “free.”
