Washington, DC: All eyes are on Washington where a series of rapid-fire political and military developments are underway, pointing to a possible major US military operation against Iran.
Sources said that the Trump administration was preparing for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, even as diplomacy continues.
Despite the goings-on in Washington, intensive diplomatic efforts are underway as regional mediators push for a lasting ceasefire to prevent a wider conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, officials said, as reported by Republic TV.
US president Donald Trump abruptly canceled his planned Memorial Day weekend trip to his golf property in Bedminster, New Jersey, and rushed back to the White House on Friday.
Citing pressing “circumstances pertaining to government,” the president also skipped his son’s wedding to remain in Washington for urgent official business.
Trump said that he “very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon-to-be wife, Bettina,” but couldn’t due to undisclosed situations, explaining that it was vital for him to stay in Washington during “these historic moments.”
These developments sudden coincide with an exclusive report from CBS News revealing that the Trump administration is actively preparing for a fresh rou
nd of potential military strikes against Iran.
Parts of the US military and intelligence community have canceled holiday plans across the board and been placed on strict standby mode, officials said. While a White House spokesperson emphasized that a final decision has not yet been authorized, they reiterated the administration’s strict redlines.
“The President has made his redlines abundantly clear: Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and they cannot keep their enriched uranium. The President always maintains all options at all times,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir reportedly made an unannounced, secret flight to Tehran. The sudden visit represents a last-ditch diplomatic backchannel effort to de-escalate the standoff before the regional ceasefire completely unravels, reports suggest.
The visit did not necessarily mean “we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation”, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, however, said.
In another major development, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), abruptly submitted her resignation on Friday afternoon, effective June 30.
She publicly cited personal reasons regarding her husband’s health, but reports from the intelligence community hint at internal friction, noting she had recently been sidelined from high-level operational planning regarding Iran.
Heavy motorcades and blaring sirens were seen moving rapidly near the White House and West Wing corridors, as night fell over Washington.
The world watches keenly as key defense personnel return to their desks and international mediators scramble. Will it be a full-blown assault on Iran, or will diplomacy prevail?