Trump Is Considering a ‘Massive Attack’ on Iran Bigger Than Operation Epic Fury/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump says he is close to deciding whether to launch a major attack on Iran that would exceed the opening strikes of Operation Epic Fury, according to Axios. Trump said the United States is prepared to act without assistance, although Israel could join the operation rapidly if requested. The comments came as Democrats promised repeated war powers votes and reports emerged that a U.S. B-1 bomber recently struck Iranian targets.
Quick Look
- Trump told Axios that he is considering a “massive attack” against Iran.
- He said the proposed operation would be bigger than the opening strikes of Operation Epic Fury.
- No final decision or timetable has been announced.
- Trump said the U.S. is fully prepared to carry out the operation.
- He said Israel would join quickly if asked.
- Trump maintained that the United States does not need assistance.
- The president said Iran still has “evil intentions.”
- He vowed that Tehran would never obtain a nuclear weapon.
- The United States reportedly used a B-1 bomber against Iran on Tuesday.
- The aircraft targeted sites associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to U.S. officials cited by Axios.
- Senate Democrats say they will continue forcing votes to end the war.
- The Senate rejected its latest war powers resolution Thursday.
- The House approved a similar measure with support from several Republicans.
Deep Look
Trump Considers Larger Attack on Iran
President Donald Trump says he is considering a major new military operation against Iran that would be larger than the initial U.S.-Israeli attacks launched under Operation Epic Fury.
“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump told Axios.
Trump did not say when the proposed attack could occur. He also made clear that he had not reached a final decision.
The remarks suggest that the administration is considering another significant expansion of a conflict that has already increased energy prices, killed American service members and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump Says US Can Act Without Allies
Trump said the United States has the military capability to conduct the proposed operation without outside assistance.
“We don’t need anybody,” he said.
The president nevertheless indicated that Israel would participate if he requested its involvement.
Trump said Israel would join the operation “in two minutes if I ask them to.”
No Israeli official was quoted confirming plans to participate in a new offensive.
President Says Iran Retains “Evil Intentions”
During an event at Environmental Protection Agency headquarters Thursday, Trump said Iran remained dangerous despite the recent American strikes.
“We’re doing very well against the Islamic Republic of Iran. We’re doing extremely well. They would like to do something, but I say they’re not ready yet,” Trump said.
“They need more of the same. They’re not ready yet. They got some evil intentions.”
Trump did not provide evidence or specific details about the intentions he attributed to Tehran.
Trump Vows to Prevent Iranian Nuclear Weapon
The president repeated his position that Iran must never be allowed to build a nuclear weapon.
“We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
“When they start blowing away communities, one by one, we cannot let them ever even think about having a nuclear weapon.”
“And that’s exactly what’s happening. They’ll never have a nuclear weapon.”
Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes. The United States and its allies have expressed concern that Tehran could use its enrichment capabilities to pursue a weapon.
Trump Criticizes Previous Administrations
Trump argued that earlier presidents and foreign governments should have confronted Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“This should have been done. They’ve been saying for 47 years now—for about three years—but it should have been done for 50 years by other American presidents or other countries. Didn’t have to be us,” he said.
“But it seems that if we don’t do it, nobody else will. But I will, and nobody else has the capability to do it either.”
US Reportedly Deploys B-1 Bomber
The United States used a B-1 Lancer bomber to strike Iran on Tuesday, according to reports citing American officials.
Axios first reported the deployment, which Fox News said it independently confirmed.
The aircraft reportedly took off from an air base in the United Kingdom and attacked targets connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
American officials had not publicly identified the specific sites that were struck.
B-1 Carries Heavy Weapons Payload
The B-1 is a long-range bomber designed to fly faster than the speed of sound at low altitude.
According to the U.S. Air Force, it can carry two dozen 2,000-pound bombs or dozens of cruise missiles.
Tuesday’s operation marked the first reported combat use of the aircraft since American airstrikes against Iran resumed 12 days earlier.
Its deployment indicated that the Pentagon was using increasingly powerful military assets in the conflict even before Trump’s comments about a possible larger attack.
Democrats Promise Repeated War Powers Votes
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said Democrats will repeatedly bring war powers resolutions before the Senate in an attempt to end American involvement in Iran.
“We’re going to continue to force these votes in the Senate week after week after week,” Murphy said.
He argued that a growing number of Republicans are supporting efforts to restrict Trump’s military authority.
“I think as we get closer to the election, there are going to be more and more Republicans in the House and in the Senate who are going to be willing to vote to end this war because it is deeply unpopular by a two, or three to one margin,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he hoped Republican defections “will convince the president to end this disastrous illegal war.”
Senate Rejects Latest Resolution
Senate Republicans defeated another Democratic resolution seeking to require congressional authorization for continued military action against Iran.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland led the proposal.
“The main thing is that we need to continue to hold senators of both parties accountable for ending this senseless war,” Van Hollen said.
The House separately approved a war powers resolution after several Republicans joined Democrats. Neither chamber’s action has ended the military campaign.
Saudi Nuclear Deal Remains Conditional
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said Thursday that the administration would finalize its civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia only if the kingdom joins the Abraham Accords and normalizes relations with Israel.
“The energy deal is contingent on this condition as far as the president is concerned. So we’ll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon,” Leavitt said.
She said the agreement would “give priority access for American companies in the Saudi nuclear energy program, which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chain.”
Leavitt also repeated Trump’s assertion that the agreement would not allow Saudi Arabia to enrich nuclear materials to weapons-grade levels.
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