President Donald Trump warned Iran that the United States could target remaining nuclear sites in ten minutes while holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over diplomatic negotiations.
Trump and Netanyahu Clash Over Qatar Talks as Strike Threats Mount
President Donald Trump held a direct and blunt telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning ongoing diplomatic contacts with Iran mediated by Qatar.
The diplomatic push involves Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries meeting with Iranian officials in Doha. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that an agreement depends entirely on whether Washington provides satisfactory answers to Tehran’s demands, which include lifting naval blockades, releasing frozen financial assets, and removing export restrictions on Iranian oil.
The White House Prepares Military Options as CENTCOM Briefs the President
Days before the phone call with Netanyahu, Trump convened senior military commanders at the White House and received a detailed briefing from CENTCOM Commander General Brad Cooper on operational strike options against Iran. The administration has positioned heavy airlift capacity across the region, flying ten heavy transport aircraft from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Nevatim and Ovda airbases in Israel, alongside deployments to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The administration held high-level discussions alongside the Vice President, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Treasury, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and senior advisor Steve Witkoff to evaluate the economic and military crisis.
US Vice President JD Vance also dispatched a high-level letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stressing that any negotiations require discussion of the nuclear issue. Iranian officials have acknowledged receiving the communication but have not yet issued a formal reply.
I would say there are one or two sites left, but we can do it in ten minutes and we have a plan.
Donald Trump, US President
Speaking to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump specifically pointed to the deeply buried underground tunnel complex known as Mount Mawkush as a primary target remaining on the military checklist. At the same time, Trump expressed deep skepticism regarding Iranian reliability, noting that they make a deal and then back out.
Tehran Warns of Regional Retaliation While Analysts Doubt Strike Efficacy
Eliezer Marom, former commander of the Israeli Navy and senior researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center, voiced skepticism over whether a quick strike could dismantle Iran’s core nuclear ambitions.
The question is what do they really want to achieve.
Marom noted that while a brief operation could target Mount Mawkush and help clear shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran retains significant ballistic missile stockpiles. Reports indicated that Tehran could attempt to draw the United States into a prolonged war of attrition by targeting critical energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Entities in the region also claimed multiple attacks across Saudi Arabia, including a ballistic missile interception near the Eastern Province and reported strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.