Trump Weighs Massive Attack on Iran

President Donald Trump said he is close to deciding whether to launch military strikes against Iran on a scale that would go beyond Operation Epic Fury, Axios reported following an interview with the US president.

No final decision has been made, and no new orders have been given to the military, according to two US officials.

He said Israel “would join in two minutes if I ask them to”, but added that “we don’t need anybody” to launch a new operation against Iran.

The latest escalation has pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel. Iran has continued attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran-backed Houthi rebels have begun targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.

The US president said the Iranians wanted to negotiate but were not yet ready to strike a deal because “they haven’t received enough pain yet”. He also warned that Iran and the Houthis would face major military punishment if the group again attacked ships in the Red Sea.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to attend the late Senator Lindsey Graham's wake in Washington next week, Trump said, adding that he would meet the Israeli leader if he came.

(max)