Iran is preparing to attack American bases in the Middle East if the United States joins Israel's war, American officials who have reviewed intelligence reports told The New York Times on Tuesday.
In the days since Operation Rising Lion began, over 40,000 American troops have been put on high alert at bases throughout the region, including the UAE, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Fears of a wider war are growing among American officials as Israel presses the White House to intervene in its conflict with Iran. “If the United States joins the Israeli campaign and strikes Fordow, a key Iranian nuclear facility, the Iranian-backed Houthi militia will almost certainly resume striking ships in the Red Sea,” officials told the Times.
They added that pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria would also possibly try to attack US bases there.
Several American officials confirmed that Israel would need US assistance to more significantly damage Iran’s nuclear program, namely the deployment of B-2 stealth bombers armed with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator.
Trump hints US wants Iran's 'unconditional surrender'
US President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday, saying that the US knows where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding but that they won't "take him out" yet.
"We know exactly where the so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding. He is an easy target but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now."
"But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Trump, minutes later, posted "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!"
Trump 'won't hesitiate' to do what's necessary
Sources familiar with internal US discussions told The Jerusalem Post that “if the administration joins in, it won’t be a symbolic move – it will be a significant operation, with the primary target being the uranium enrichment facility in Fordow.”
Senior Israeli officials who spoke to the Post believe that Trump has already made a decision: the US will strike Iran if it refuses a deal that includes dismantling its nuclear program.
A US official told the Post, “There’s no doubt about what Trump wants, and he won’t hesitate to do what’s necessary to achieve that goal.”
Trump also told reporters, “I’m not interested in negotiations with Iran. I want a real end to Tehran’s nuclear program.”
Iran will respond firmly if US becomes directly involved in Israeli strikes, says UN ambassador
Iran said it had conveyed to Washington that it will respond firmly if the United States becomes directly involved in Israel's military campaign, Ali Bahreini, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said on Wednesday.
Bahreini told reporters that he saw the US as "complicit in what Israel is doing."
Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after concluding that the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.
The US has so far only taken indirect actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel. It is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three US officials told Reuters.
Bahreini said Iran will also respond strongly to Israeli strikes.
"We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security, and land - we will respond seriously and strongly, without restraint," he told reporters.
Thousands of people fled Tehran and other major cities on Wednesday, Iranian media reported, as Iran and Israel launched new missile strikes at each other despite US President Donald Trump calling for Tehran's unconditional surrender.
The Israeli military said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours of Wednesday morning. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.