Trump May Authorise U.S. Strikes on Iran Amid Rising Regional Tensions

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Washington, D.C.: Senior U.S. military officials have informed the leadership of a key Middle Eastern ally that President Donald Trump could authorize a U.S. military strike on Iran as early as this weekend, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.

The ally was told that if the United States decides to proceed, military operations could begin as soon as Sunday. Two senior Arab intelligence officials separately said they had been informed that a U.S. attack could be “imminent.”

A former senior U.S. intelligence official who advises Arab governments and serves as an informal consultant to the Trump administration on Middle East policy said that the contemplated operation would go beyond Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.

“This isn’t about the nukes or the missile program. This is about regime change,” the former official said, adding that U.S. planners envision strikes on nuclear, ballistic and military facilities, alongside efforts to weaken or decapitate Iran’s leadership, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The IRGC, created after Iran’s 1979 revolution, wields significant military, political and economic power within the country.

According to the source, the Trump administration believes that a successful strike on Iran’s leadership could trigger widespread protests inside Iran, potentially leading to the collapse of the government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to be supportive of such action and has conveyed to Washington that Israel could help facilitate the establishment of a government aligned with Western interests.

The warnings to regional allies come as Middle Eastern governments intensify last-minute diplomatic efforts to avert a wider conflict. On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Turkish officials in Istanbul as part of efforts to revive talks and establish potential backchannel communications involving Iran, the United States and Turkey.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have both publicly ruled out allowing their airspace or territorial waters to be used in any military action against Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed the position in a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to Saudi state media.

The U.S. Central Command declined to comment, while the White House referred inquiries to comments made by President Trump earlier this week. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the U.S. had a “large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading towards Iran,” but declined to confirm whether Tehran had been given a deadline to avoid military action.

Iranian officials have warned that any U.S. strike, particularly one targeting leadership, would be met with a forceful response. Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, a spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces, said that a U.S. attack would not be a limited operation.

“The scope of war will certainly extend across the entire region,” Akraminia said on Iranian state television. “From Israel to countries hosting American military bases, all will be within range of our missiles and drones.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate hearing this week that between 30,000 and 40,000 U.S. troops are stationed at bases across the Middle East and could be vulnerable to Iranian drone and missile attacks in the event of a conflict.

Iranian officials have previously relied on calibrated, pre-telegraphed responses to avoid full-scale escalation following U.S. or Israeli strikes. However, Tehran has signalled that it may abandon that approach.

As diplomatic channels remain active, regional leaders continue to warn that any miscalculation could ignite a conflict extending well beyond Iran’s borders.