As first reported by CBS News, U.S. military officials say Israel is fully ready to launch an operation into Iran.
According to sources cited in the report, the U.S. now anticipates Iran could retaliate on certain American sites in neighboring Iraq.
The U.S. advised some Americans to leave the region yesterday.
The State Department ordered non-emergency government officials to exit Iraq due to “heightened regional tensions,” and the Pentagon has authorized military family members to voluntarily leave locations throughout the Middle East, a defense official told the outlet.
President Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is still planning to meet with Iran for a sixth round of talks on the country’s nuclear program in the coming days, two U.S. officials said.
Trump spoke about Iran at an appearance at the Kennedy Center Wednesday evening, telling reporters Americans were advised to leave the region “because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens.”
Trump also reiterated the U.S. did not want Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, saying: “We’re not going to allow that.”
When asked at the White House why dependents of military personnel were allowed to voluntarily leave the region, Trump responded, “You’ll have to see.”
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh told reporters Wednesday that if nuclear talks fail and “a conflict is imposed on us,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “will target all U.S. bases in the host countries.”
A source familiar with the situation and a U.S. official told CBS News that the Trump administration was weighing options regarding how to support Israeli military action without leading it.
Those options could include aerial refueling or intelligence sharing, but the U.S. official was unaware of any commitment.
This is an on-going story. Check back for further updates.