Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei recently undermined Israel’s operation against Iran’s nuclear weapons development programs after the US voiced continued hope for negotiations.
Iran has indiscriminately fired sundry inter-ballistic missiles against Israel as a response to Israel’s ongoing attacks targeting the former’s nuclear development programs.
The attacks followed weeks of stagnating US-Iran negotiations after the latter refused to accept terms demanded by the former.
After dozens of tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran, the former seems to have complete control over Iranian skies but reportedly needs US heavy weaponry to eliminate nuclear development plants deeply entrenched in Iran’smountains.
While President Donald Trump has not explicitly stated whether the US will attack Iran or not, he recently claimed the decision to do so would not come for at least another two weeks.
The two-week window gives Iran a lifeline to negotiate a nuclear deal, which Trump has repeatedly urged Iran to do.
Leader Khamenei belittled Israel following the two-week timeline, alleging that the US’s involvement in the Iran-Israel affair demonstrates the latter’s “weakness and impotence.”
“The very fact that the American friends of the Zionist regime are entering the scene and speaking out is a sign of the latter's weakness and impotence,” said Khamenei.
While the US initially only supplied missile defense support for Israel, US officials are actively considering potentially joining strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The White House recently cataloged over 50 instances where Trump expressed resolute opposition to Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The timing of the White House’s statement parallels the ongoing deployment of an additional US carrier strike group (CSG) to the Middle East.
The Nimitz CSG is en route to join the Vinson CSG in the Arabian Sea near Iran’s shores.
The last time two CSGs were together in the area, the US used them to target Houthi terrorists in nearby Yemen.
Some reports suggest the US will not join Israel’s attack unless Iran directly attacks American assets while others claim that moving the CSG Nimitz to the region is a potential preparation for hostilities.
