Trump weighs potential military intervention in Iran
In this frame grab from video taken by an individual not employed by The Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran shows a fire as people protest in Tehran
By Alayna Treene, CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump is weighing a series of potential military options in Iran following deadly protests in the country, two US officials told CNN, as he considers following through on his recent threats to strike the Iranian regime should it use lethal force against civilians.
Trump was briefed in recent days on different plans for intervention, the officials told CNN, as violence in the country has led to dozens of deaths and arrests. Some of the discussions have also included options that do not involve direct US military force, one of the officials said.
A number of options presented to the president have centered on targeting Tehran’s security services being used to tamp down the protests, the US officials said.
However, there are concerns inside the administration that military strikes could backfire and undermine the protests. The concerns, the officials said, are that strikes could have the unintended effect of rallying the Iranian people to support the government, or lead Iran to retaliate with military force of its own.
The president has not yet made a final decision on intervention, the officials said, but he is seriously considering action as the death toll in Iran continues to rise. The options that the president is considering do not involve putting boots on the ground in Iran, a senior White House official told CNN.
US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that 116 people have been killed since protests erupted across all 31 of Iran’s provinces two weeks ago. It remains unclear whether HRANA’s tally fully captures the scale of casualties, given the authorities’ nationwide shutdown of internet access and telephone lines.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump posted to social media on Saturday. “The USA stands ready to help!!!”
On Friday, Trump told reporters that if Tehran engaged in deadly violence against protestors, the US would “get involved.”
“I’ve made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” Trump said during a meeting with oil executives. “And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Saturday about the ongoing protests, two sources familiar with the call said. The leaders also discussed the situation in Syria and Gaza, they said.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday it is “monitoring developments” in Iran as the country enters its third week of anti-government protests.
“The protests are an internal Iranian matter. Nevertheless, the IDF is prepared defensively and is continuously improving its capabilities and operational readiness,” an IDF spokesperson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu is set to convene a limited security consultation Sunday evening, with developments in Iran and Lebanon high on the agenda, according to an Israeli source.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
