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
(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.
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.
Trump is also considering a number of options intended to target Iran’s regime that stop short of military strikes, officials said, as he looks to follow through on a vow to help protesters in the country.
The options include cyber operations going after the Iranian military or regime targets, a step that could disrupt efforts to crack down on protests, an official said.
The options also include new sanctions against regime figures, or sectors of Iran’s economy like energy or banking.
The administration has also explored providing technology like Starlink to bolster internet connectivity in Iran, helping protesters skirt an information blackout. Then-President Joe Biden offered similar connectivity assistance during the last flare up of street protests in 2022.
A number of different agencies have been involved in helping prepare options for the president, officials said. More formal briefings are expected in the coming week, including on Tuesday, when Trump is expected to convene senior national security officials to discuss how to proceed.
Tehran will treat US military and commercial bases as targets for retaliation if Washington intervenes militarily in unrest-hit Iran, its hardline parliamentary speaker has warned.
“If the US takes military action towards Iran or the occupied territories, the US military and shipping centers will be considered legitimate targets,” Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said.
“We do not limit ourselves to only reacting after an action has been taken,” he added.
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.
At least 10,675 people have been arrested, including 169 children, over the past 15 days during anti-regime demonstrations in Iran, according to a detailed tally provided to CNN by Skylar Thompson, deputy director of Human Rights Activists in Iran (also known as HRA).
HRA’s news arm is called Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
At least 490 protesters have been killed over the same period, according to the group’s latest tally, updated Sunday. CNN is unable to independently verify HRANA’s casualty numbers or arrest figures.
“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.
CNN’s Leila Gharagozlou, Chris Lau, Tal Shalev, Jomana Karadsheh and Billy Stockwell contributed to this report.
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