Trump Aware of Israel’s Plans Against Iran

On Thursday, President Donald Trump revealed in an interview with Bret Baier from Fox News that he was aware of Israel’s intent to execute a preemptive strike against Iran prior to its occurrence. Trump expressed concerns, stating, “We can’t allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Our hope is to return to the negotiation table, but we’ll see. Iran is not going back to leadership.”

This strike reportedly resulted in the deaths of three senior military commanders from Iran, including Hossein Salami, who heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Recently, Trump has engaged in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The strike occurred while the Trump administration was also pursuing diplomatic avenues.

Sources indicate that the U.S. informed a key Middle Eastern ally about the impending strike, asserting that the U.S. did not play a direct role in the operation.

Trump noted his hopes for Iran to resume negotiations, however, Iran has shown intentions to withdraw from further discussions. Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkov and his team were preparing to meet with Iranian officials in Oman on Sunday.

In the attack, Israeli forces deployed around 200 fighter jets, targeting various sites in Iran and decimating multiple radar systems, missile launchers, and nuclear facilities. Following this, Iran launched approximately 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation.

Trump acknowledged the possibility of further retaliation and mentioned that the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is on high alert. He pointed out that the U.S. is prepared to safeguard itself if Iran decides to escalate the situation. In light of rising tensions, the U.S. has restocked its Iron Dome missile defense systems.

Trump is set to participate in a National Security Council meeting later on Friday.