US President Donald Trump has said the US military is reviewing “strong options” against Iran, including possible military intervention, as anti-government protests spread and reports of mounting deaths fuel a dangerous escalation in US-Iran tensions.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said Washington is closely monitoring the Iran protests and that senior commanders are evaluating a range of responses, from targeted military strikes and covert cyber operations to expanded economic sanctions and support for anti-government groups.
Trump indicated that Iranian authorities have signalled a willingness to negotiate following his latest military threats, and said preparations are under way for a possible meeting. However, he warned that the US could move ahead with action before any talks take place. He stressed that demonstrations and the security crackdown in Iran may be crossing his previously declared red line, amid reports from exiled activists that the real protest death toll is far higher than the figures acknowledged by Iranian officials.
Tehran has issued its own stark warnings, with senior officials and parliamentary leaders saying that any US attack on Iran or on allied territory would make US bases, warships and regional assets “legitimate targets” for retaliation. Iranian state media have reported the deaths of several security personnel, while rights groups and opposition networks abroad claim hundreds of protesters have been killed during days of unrest, mass arrests and an extended internet shutdown that has largely cut off the country from the outside world.
US officials said Trump will meet his top national security and military advisers this week to consider concrete options on Iran, including precision strikes, offensive cyber operations, intensified sanctions and measures to help protesters bypass censorship and restore internet access.
The US president has also said he plans to speak with billionaire Elon Musk about using satellite internet technology, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, to reconnect Iranians amid the blackout, underscoring how digital tools are now central to US strategy toward Iran.
The crisis comes as Trump pursues an assertive foreign policy posture on multiple fronts, referencing past operations against figures such as Qassem Soleimani and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and hinting at broader ambitions that have included talk of acquiring Greenland and a hard line on Venezuela’s leadership.
With Iran’s leadership vowing to defend its “national interests” and US rhetoric hardening, regional powers and global investors are bracing for further volatility in the Gulf, renewed debate over the Iran nuclear file and the risk that any US-Iran confrontation could quickly spiral into a wider conflict affecting global oil markets and Middle East security.