Overview
- After meeting Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, President Donald Trump said the United States would act "immediately" if required to stop Iran’s nuclear program and endorsed potential renewed Israeli strikes.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged a severe response to any attack, echoing a warning from a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that Tehran needs no permission to defend itself.
- U.S. officials linked fresh sanctions to longstanding objectives under NSPM-2, including constraining Iran’s ballistic missile program and cutting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps off from funding.
- Israeli reporting indicates Tehran is rebuilding its rocket arsenal and advancing elements of its nuclear program, which Israeli leaders describe as a direct threat.
- The standoff follows June strikes by Israel with U.S. support against Iranian nuclear sites, while Iran now faces protests, surging inflation, and the resignation of its central bank chief.