Overview
- The Pentagon is shifting the carrier Abraham Lincoln toward the Indian Ocean and sending additional land-based air-defense systems to the region.
- President Trump has paused any immediate military action against Iran, saying all options remain open as consultations continue.
- Intelligence briefings judge Iran’s leadership cohesive, with limited strikes unlikely to alter the political balance and risks of wider conflict elevated.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advised against a rapid strike, and Mossad director David Barnea traveled to Washington for consultations.
- Russia signaled readiness to mediate and several Arab governments urged restraint, while Reza Pahlavi pressed for U.S. intervention and pledged to return to Iran.