Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator
Iran responded to ongoing Israeli attacks by launching two waves of hypersonic missiles in the early hours of Wednesday, marking the sixth day of the conflict, which began with an unprovoked attack by Israel.
The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with his national security team did not result in a decision to attack Iran. A White House official stated that the meeting in the "Operations Room" lasted approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, without providing any further details.
Among the options Trump is studying is the use of bombs that are exclusively owned by the U.S. and capable of destroying the Fordo uranium enrichment facility deep in the mountains, which Israel-owned bombs cannot access.
The meeting comes after Trump heightened his threats against Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, increasing speculation over a possible U.S. military intervention in the six-day ongoing confrontation.
Trump has said the US was not a partner in the attack on Iran. However, the weapons used in the attack were all American-made, and given free of charge as part of the billions to Israel by act of Congress.
Trump has demanded an unconditional surrender from Tehran as the price of peace. Trump also hinted at regime change when he said the U.S. knew the exact location of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A few days earlier, a US official told AFP that Trump opposed an Israeli plan to assassinate him.
Trump had ridiculed President Obama for getting the US into Middle Eastern regime change wars, such as in Libya and Syria. Trump campaigned on the promise to end US involvement in Middle Eastern wars. Still, it appears Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his lobbyists at AIPAC may have control over Trump.
Trump is faced with a decision that could pull the U.S. into a major war, resulting in retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE hosting more than 40,000 American troops in the region.
Netanyahu has cried wolf over Iran's nuclear threat for 33 years. In an Al Jazeera video, Netanyahu is documented beginning in 1992 claiming that Iran was just weeks away from a nuclear bomb. He consistently chanted his Nuclear mantra, repeating the same statements over decades.
Iran does not have a nuclear bomb, but Israel does. We know that Netanyahu has lied about the imminent nature of the threat from Iran, so why has Netanyahu taken unilateral military action now?
Experts feel Netanyahu has been emboldened by Trump being in power. Every U.S. administration always gives the green light to Israel, but Trump is the ultimate American Zionist. Biden allowed for the genocide in Gaza to begin; however, Trump has fueled it further, going as far as personally controlling any food that is available in Gaza, among a population in famine. Israeli snipers are instructed to shoot any starving person trying to get to the food.
Iran is OPEC's third-largest producer, extracting about 3.3 million barrels per day of crude oil. US officials say Iran could lay mines in the strategic Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. joins Israel's military campaign, which could trap U.S. warships in the Arab Gulf and trigger a regional confrontation.
The current death toll across Tehran and Iran has risen to 585, with over 1,326 people injured by the Israeli attacks which began six days ago, according to Iranian media.
Israeli media have reported at least 24 people have been killed and 592 injured in retaliatory strikes since Israel began the unprovoked attack on Iran.
Recent strikes have targeted several critical nuclear and military facilities across Iran.
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