The fate of Iran and the Middle East was on a knife on Tuesday as Israel continued to lash its enemy with nationwide airstrikes and US President Donald Trump indicated Washington could imminently join the fight.
President Trump on Tuesday demanded Iran’s unconditional surrender and warned US patience was wearing thin but said there were no plans to kill Iran’s leader - "yet" - as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth day.
As an internet blackout gripped Iran, terrified resident fled the capital city after Trump called for a full evacuation and the Islamic Republic's armed forces' pace of missile salvos against Israel appeared to slacken.
A day after G7 heads of state including Trump mooted a resolution to end the hostilities, Trump appeared to take a dramatically harsher line on social media posts.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now... Our patience is wearing thin.”
Three minutes later, he blared, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
Explosions were reported all across Iran on Tuesday, Iran fired more missiles toward Israel. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. Israel said it struck 12 missile sites and storage facilities in Tehran.
US involvement?
Trump met with his National Security Council for 90 minutes Tuesday afternoon, a White House official said, but no details were immediately forthcoming.
Meanwhile the United States is deploying more fighter jets and extending existing deployments, Reuters reported citing three officials. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the posture as defensive, citing US assistance in intercepting missiles fired at Israel.
Israel said Tuesday it had killed Iran’s new wartime chief of staff Ali Shadmani, four days after his predecessor was killed in earlier strikes.
Amid mass evacuation orders and fears of wider conflict, Iranians at home and abroad are reporting major disruptions to banking and internet services, adding to the chaos as Israeli airstrikes and US warnings drive thousands to flee major cities.
Fordow next?
Iranian media said Israel had launched a “massive cyber war” against its digital infrastructure. Iran’s cybersecurity command has since banned officials from using mobile phones, Fars news reported — hours after Israel’s envoy to Washington hinted at a broader operation than the one that once paralyzed Hezbollah’s communications.
The UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday that an Israeli strike hit the underground enrichment halls at Natanz. But the Fordow facility—where Iran is enriching uranium close to weapons-grade—remains untouched.
Only the United States has the bunker-busting bombs capable of potentially breaching Fordow, where nuclear material is deeply buried and heavily fortified.
Israel’s national security adviser said the strikes will not end until Fordow is damaged.
Israel, not a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern nation with nuclear weapons, though it maintains official ambiguity on the matter.
