The Blubber

Donald Trump has reportedly approved military plans to strike Iran, though he has yet to make a final decision, according to CBS News, citing a senior intelligence source. The U.S. president is said to be holding off on action in the hope that Tehran might still agree to abandon its nuclear program. One target under consideration is the Fordo underground uranium enrichment facility.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender on Wednesday, dismissing the ultimatum in a televised address and warning that any U.S. military intervention would come at a high cost. “The Iranian nation will not surrender,” Khamenei declared.

Trump, responding to the rejection, remained vague. “I may do it, I may not do it,” he said when asked about striking Iran. “Unconditional surrender—that means I’ve had it.”

The Wall Street Journal was first to report that Trump had signed off on attack plans. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground has continued to escalate. Israeli forces launched fresh strikes on Iranian missile and nuclear sites, prompting Tehran to fire hypersonic missiles in retaliation. While no major damage was reported in Israel, tensions remain high.

This was Khamenei’s first public appearance since Israel launched its initial preemptive strikes on Friday. Iran’s mission to the United Nations took to social media to mock Trump, writing on X: “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.” The statement added, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House,” and called Trump’s threat to assassinate Khamenei “cowardly.”

As panic spreads, traffic leaving Tehran has surged, with thousands seeking refuge from possible future attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message that Israel was making steady progress in eliminating Iran’s military infrastructure. “We control the skies over Tehran,” Netanyahu said. “We are striking with tremendous force at the regime of the ayatollahs—at nuclear sites, missile stockpiles, command centers, symbols of the regime.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the Pentagon stands ready to act if ordered. American military forces in the region are being bolstered, with a carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz en route to join the USS Carl Vinson in the Gulf. Surveillance showed refueling tankers and fighter jets, including F-22s and F-35s, moving into position.

Diplomatic efforts are also underway. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Washington on Thursday to discuss the crisis. However, the U.S. has not yet formally requested to use British bases in Diego Garcia or Cyprus for operations against Iran.

In Jerusalem, the U.S. embassy has issued an evacuation plan for American citizens. It remains unclear how many are seeking to leave or whether the U.S. military will assist in evacuation efforts.

Since Friday’s initial Israeli strike, 585 people in Iran have been killed, according to Human Rights Activists, a Washington-based group. Of those, 239 were civilians and 126 were security forces. Iran has fired approximately 400 missiles at Israel in response, killing 24 civilians, according to Israeli officials.

Amid all this, Iranian state television warned viewers to disregard a hacked broadcast calling for an uprising against the regime. The message urged citizens to “take control of your future,” and featured footage from the 2022 anti-government protests. “If you notice irrelevant messages while watching TV, it is due to the enemy jamming satellite signals,” state TV cautioned.