US attack on Iran imminent – Reuters

President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch military strikes against the country amid ongoing mass protests there

A US military attack on Iran is “imminent,” and could come within mere hours, Reuters has claimed, citing anonymous sources.

In recent days, President Donald Trump has issued several threats against the Islamic Republic, which has been gripped by riots since late December. The unrest broke out amid soaring inflation and the sharp devaluation of the Iranian rial. Tehran has blamed the street violence, which has allegedly resulted in hundreds of deaths, on the US and Israel.

On Wednesday, Reuters quoted an unnamed Western military official as saying that “all the signals are that a US attack is imminent.” The anonymous source, however, reportedly added that “that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes,” with unpredictability being “part of the strategy.” 

According to the outlet, which cited two unnamed European officials, “US military intervention could come in the next 24 hours.” Reuters similarly quoted an unnamed Israeli official as suggesting that Trump appears to have decided in favor of attacking Iran, though the scope of the potential military action remains unclear.

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Reuters also reported that the US was evacuating some of its military personnel from bases in the Middle East in case of retaliatory strikes from Iran.

On Tuesday, Trump called on Iranian protesters to seize control of state institutions, after he proclaimed earlier that “help is on its way.” 

Earlier this week, the US president stated that his administration was “looking at some very strong options” against the Islamic Republic.

On Monday, the US State Department urged all American citizens in Iran to leave the country immediately.

That same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that while Iran does not seek a military confrontation with the US, it is “prepared for war.” The diplomat, however, noted that Tehran is also “prepared for negotiations” with Washington, as long as those are “fair, honorable, and from an equal position.”