President Donald Trump says he will decide within two weeks whether the United States will join Israel’s military campaign against Iran as pressure mounts over Iran’s nuclear programme and the fortified Fordo enrichment facility.
According to senior U.S. officials, Trump has reviewed detailed strike options targeting Fordo, Iran’s most secure underground nuclear site.
He is said to believe that neutralizing the site is necessary due to the speed at which Iran could potentially produce a nuclear weapon.
“He believes there’s not much choice. Finishing the job means destroying Fordo,” a source familiar with the briefings told CBS News.
Although Trump approved operational plans for a potential strike earlier this week, he has not yet authorized military action.
Officials say he is holding off to see whether diplomatic efforts can persuade Iran to halt its nuclear ambitions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, reading from a statement by the president, confirmed on Wednesday that a final decision will come soon.
“Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Trump said in the statement.
Israel has been striking Iranian targets since last Friday, but has not yet hit Fordo. While the U.S. has assisted with intercepting Iranian missile attacks, it has not officially joined the Israeli offensive.
Trump, however, is keeping the military option close. Sources told CBS that he has been briefed on the use of bunker-buster bombs and is still assessing logistical requirements, including whether enough U.S. assets are in position to strike quickly if needed.
One possible off-ramp under consideration is for Iran to voluntarily shut down Fordo, something Trump has floated as an alternative to airstrikes, though U.S. intelligence remains skeptical.
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to discuss a unified Western strategy.
Talks involving Iran and European diplomats are also planned for Geneva later this week.
Trump has been shown classified intelligence estimates on Iran’s nuclear timeline, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe warning in closed-door briefings that Iran is nearing weapons capability.
“If they’re at the one-yard line, saying they don’t want a touchdown doesn’t mean they won’t score,” one U.S. official paraphrased Ratcliffe as saying.
Trump himself addressed reporters on Wednesday, saying he hasn’t made up his mind.
“I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due, because things change, especially with war. I may do it. I may not. Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said.
Iran has dismissed the threat of force, vowing it won’t negotiate “under duress” and warning that it will retaliate against any attack.
U.S. intelligence believes Iran has positioned missiles for potential strikes on American bases in the region if they join the war.
Trump, for now, is playing a high-stakes waiting game, one that could reshape the regional conflict.
Despite confirming knowledge of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s location, Trump has rejected Israeli proposals to assassinate the Iranian supreme leader.
