17 Jun 202519:00

Media: “Trump is seriously considering joining the war”

Donald Trump is seriously considering joining Israel's war and launching an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, specifically the one at Fordow, Axios reports, citing several American officials, recalling that Trump anticipated his return to the White House from the G7 in Canada, telling reporters on Air Force One that he was not interested in a"ceasefire", but in a"real end" to the war and Iran's nuclear program. US officials told Axios that Trump will meet with his national security team in the White House Situation Room at 7 p.m. to decide on a possible intervention in the war. Two Israeli officials told the site that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Tel Aviv defense establishment continue to believe that Trump will likely enter the war in the coming days by bombing Fordow.

• A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a resolution that prohibits “the United States military from engaging in unauthorized hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The signatories are Republican Thomas Massie and Democrats Ro Khanna and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a country that has not attacked the United States,” Massie said in a statement, adding that “Congress has the sole power to declare war on Iran. The ongoing war between Israel and Iran is not our war.”
• Donald Trump is becoming increasingly inclined to the idea of using U.S. military assets to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, moving away from the idea of a diplomatic solution to end the escalating conflict. CNN reports this, citing two informed sources, stressing that Trump's new position represents a significant shift in Trump's position, while reiterating that Trump remains open to a diplomatic solution, if Iran were to make significant concessions.
• Continuous and intense explosions are being heard west of Tehran, Iranian state media say, as reported by Reuters. Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that plans were being made to strike"significant targets in Tehran".
• The Iranian regime has asked citizens not to use WhatsApp and Telegram and other "location-based applications", saying that this is"one of Israel's main methods of identifying and targeting individuals". This was reported by the Iranian state agency IRIB, referring to"recent targeted assassinations, including those of scientists" and stressing that reports indicate that "the Israeli regime uses cellphones to locate people to be targeted in Iran". So the exhortation is not only to not use these apps, but also to turn off cell phones before moving and avoid"taking them to sensitive places", the agency cited by CNN also reports.
• The US military is preparing for the possibility that President Donald Trump orders the Air Force to help refuel Israeli fighter jets as they carry out attacks on Iran, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The scenario is one of the reasons why more than 30 US air refuelers have been sent to the region in recent days. Refueling Israeli jets, they explained, would represent the least military involvement by the United States. More generally, however, they added, the refuelers were moved to offer Trump and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) options should the situation further deteriorate and the United States want to increase its involvement. Among these options is also the one, presented to Trump by Centcom, of joint US-Israeli attacks against Iranian nuclear sites.
• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has reportedly temporarily transferred some of his executive powers to the Supreme Council of the Guardians of the Revolution (the so-called Pasdaran). At least according to what Iran International, a website and TV linked to Iranian opposition circles in exile, reports. The decision was apparently taken due to the difficulties in managing the line of command in real time from the bunker where Khamenei appears to have been transferred with his family. Meanwhile, according to various Western media sources, the role of his son Mojtaba is growing at his side, indicated as a potential heir.
• Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, has “strongly urged” the residents of Tel Aviv and Haifa to evacuate immediately “for the sake of their lives”. The Iranian news agency Mehr reported, citing a speech on Iranian state TV.
• Iran announces imminent “punitive” strikes on Israel. 
• Donald Trump is meeting in the Situation Room with his National Security team, White House sources said, CNN reports.