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Trump warns Iran, delays strikes as red line debate echoes Obama’s Syria moment
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For weeks, President Donald Trump has promised the Iranian people that «help is on the way» while positioning a massive U.S. naval armada within striking distance of Iran’s coast. But as the White House pivots toward a diplomatic summit in Istanbul Friday, analysts warn the president may face a growing credibility test if threats are not followed by action.
By threatening «speed and fury» against a regime accused of killing thousands of protesters, Trump has drawn a red line — one that analysts say echoes President Barack Obama’s 2013 warning over Syria’s use of chemical weapons. Obama ultimately chose diplomacy over military strikes, a decision critics said weakened U.S. credibility and emboldened adversaries, while supporters argued it avoided a broader war and succeeded in removing large portions of Syria’s chemical arsenal. Trump now faces a similar debate as he weighs whether to enforce his own warnings against Iran.
Trump’s envoys have been set to meet Friday in Istanbul with Iranian officials to press for an end to Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, curbs on ballistic missiles and a halt to support for proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah — terms Tehran, Iran, has shown little public sign of accepting. Trump has also demanded an end to the regime’s violent crackdown on protesters.
But signs of strain are already emerging around the talks.
Iran is now seeking a change in venue to Friday’s meeting — wanting it to be held in Oman, according to a source familiar with the request — raising questions about whether the summit will proceed as scheduled or produce substantive progress.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is pictured sitting next to senior military official in Iran. (Getty Images)
TRUMP CREDITS HALTED IRAN EXECUTIONS FOR HOLDING OFF MILITARY STRIKES
Tensions on the ground have continued to rise even as diplomacy is pursued. This week, U.S. Central Command said American forces shot down an Iranian drone after it aggressively approached the USS Abraham Lincoln while the aircraft carrier was operating in international waters in the Arabian Sea. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the drone ignored de-escalatory measures before an F-35C fighter jet downed it in self-defense.
No U.S. personnel were injured.
Hours later, Iranian naval forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed commercial tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM. Iranian gunboats and a surveillance drone repeatedly threatened to board the vessel before the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul intervened and escorted the tanker to safety.
CENTCOM warned that continued Iranian harassment in international waters increases the risk of miscalculation and regional destabilization.
Despite weeks of delay, foreign policy analysts say the pause does not mean military action has been taken off the table.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS
«If you just look at force movements and the president’s past statements of policy, you would have to bet on the likelihood that military action remains something that is coming,» Rich Goldberg, a former Trump National Security Council official now at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.
«I don’t think the window is closed,» said Michael Makovsky, president of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. «If the president doesn’t do something militarily, it would damage his credibility.»
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 9, 2026. (MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
The standoff is reviving comparisons to President Barack Obama’s 2013 decision not to carry out military strikes in Syria after warning that the use of chemical weapons would cross a U.S. «red line» — a moment that became a touchstone in debates over American deterrence. Critics of Obama argued the move signaled weakness and emboldened adversaries, while supporters said diplomacy avoided a broader war and succeeded in removing large portions of Syria’s chemical arsenal.
The Syria episode remains a touchstone in Washington’s red-line debates. Critics argued Obama’s decision not to strike emboldened adversaries, while supporters said diplomacy prevented war — a divide resurfacing as Trump weighs his next move.
«They have challenged the president now to try to turn him into Obama in 2013 in Syria, rather than Donald Trump in 2025 in Iran,» Goldberg said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Obama’s office for comment.
Trump has publicly encouraged Iranian protesters to continue their demonstrations, telling them in early January to «KEEP PROTESTING» and promising that «HELP IS ON ITS WAY.»
U.S. officials, however, have previously said the pause reflects caution rather than retreat, pointing to concerns about retaliation against American forces and uncertainty over who would lead Iran if the regime were significantly weakened. Trump himself raised those questions in January, publicly casting doubt on whether any opposition figure could realistically govern after decades in exile.
«As for the president, he remains committed to always pursuing diplomacy first,» White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. «But in order for diplomacy to work of course it takes two to tango, you need a willing partner to engage.»
«The president has always a range of options on the table, and that includes the use of military force,» she added.
The standoff is reviving comparisons to President Obama’s 2013 decision not to carry out military strikes in Syria after warning that the use of chemical weapons would cross a U.S. «red line» — a moment that became a touchstone in debates over American deterrence. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
TRUMP SAYS GULF ALLIES KEPT IN DARK AS US NEGOTIATES WITH IRAN: ‘CANT’ TELL THEM THE PLAN’
Some analysts reject the premise that the administration has meaningfully slowed its military posture.
«I don’t think they’ve paused action,» said Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum. «The more assets that the president deploys to the theater gives the U.S. more maneuvering room, rather than less.»
Roman pointed to continued U.S. force movements into the region, arguing the buildup signals preparation rather than restraint.
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«That’s not the behavior of a country backing away from military options,» he said.
Fox News’ Aishah Hashnie contributed to this report.
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Dos detonaciones han estremecido la capital iraní este sábado por la mañana. “El Estado de Israel lanzó un ataque preventivo contra Irán. El ministro de Defensa, Israel Katz, declaró el estado de emergencia especial e inmediato en todo el país”, indicó la oficina del ministro en un comunicado.
Según periodistas de AFP presentes en el lugar, el sonido de las explosiones se percibió con claridad, mientras columnas de humo emergían tanto en el centro como en el este de Teherán. “La naturaleza de las explosiones sugiere que se trata de un ataque con misiles”, señaló la agencia de prensa Fars.
El Ministerio de Defensa de Israel informó este sábado que lanzó un “ataque preventivo” contra Irán, mientras sonaban sirenas de emergencia en Jerusalén y la población recibía alertas telefónicas sobre una amenaza “extremadamente grave” en todo el país. Estados Unidos también inició ataques “de gran envergadura” contra Irán, y Trump afirmó a la población que “la hora de su libertad está al alcance de la mano”.
Por otra parte, la agencia Isna informó que una de las columnas de humo se observaba cerca del emblemático barrio Pasteur, en cuya zona se localizan tanto la residencia el ayatollah Ali Khamenei, como la sede presidencial, lo que subraya la sensibilidad estratégica del área.
El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, ofreció este sábado a los dirigentes militares del régimen iraní la opción de recibir “inmunidad” o enfrentarse una “muerte segura”.
Las autoridades israelíes anunciaban poco después la detección de “misiles lanzados desde Irán”, precedidos por sirenas que sonaban en distintas áreas del país. Enviaban debido a esto un mensaje a los teléfonos móviles de los ciudadanos urgiéndolos a buscar refugio. Poco después, ya se habían reportado las primeras explosiones sobre Jerusalén, según la AFP. En Teherán, un importante dispositivo de las fuerzas iraníes de seguridad bloquean varias calles alrededor del barrio en el que se encuentra la residencia del Ayatollah Jamenei.
También se han escuchado sirenas sobre Amman, capital de Jordania, cuya dirección de seguridad pública advierte: “El significado de las sirenas será el siguiente: tres sirenas intermitentes indican que hay una amenaza, y una sola sirena significa que la amenaza ha pasado. Cuando escuche las tres sirenas, debe refugiarse en el edificio más cercano hasta que la amenaza haya pasado”. La respuesta de Irán, por el momento, incluye ataques contra los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Catar, Baréin, Kuwait y Arabia Saudita.
Los bombardeos fueron confirmados por el Ministerio de Defensa israelí y el presidente Donald Trump. El país hebreo declaró el estado de emergencia y el cierre de su espacio aéreo
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As one of Israel’s staunchest defenders from the left, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., full-throatedly endorsed President Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reacted Saturday morning.
«President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region,» Fetterman wrote on X. «God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel.»
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of Congress’ biggest backers of bold military action, is hailing President Donald Trump as a «man of peace,» and «evil’s worst nightmare.»
«As I watch and monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare,» Graham wrote Saturday morning on X in a string of posts. «Well done, Mr. President.»
Trump’s U.S. military armada in the Middle East, working in concert with Israel, is targeting military targets and ballistic missile sites that pose an «imminent threat,» a U.S. official told Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin.
The U.S. military is not targeting Iran’s leadership, but Israel is, the official added.
Strikes hit the compound home of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, in downtown Tehran on Saturday morning.
And Trump issued a video statement on social media, urging Iranian people to get out of the way for now, but «when we are finished, take over your government; It will be yours to take.»
«God bless @POTUS for planning and now executing Operation Epic Fury, making America more safe and eventually more prosperous,» Graham added. «I seek God’s protection for all under President Trump’s command, as well as our allies in Israel.
LINDSEY GRAHAM CALLS FOR US TO USE ‘ANY MEANS NECESSARY’ TO STOP THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE KILLING OF IRANIANS
«My mind is racing with the thought that the murderous ayatollah’s regime in Iran will soon be no more.
While reports of explosions happened hours earlier, Graham posted his first support for the actions after 3 a.m. ET, calling the «operation is necessary and long justified.»
«The biggest change in the Middle East in a thousand years is upon us,» Graham added in his second post on X. «The likelihood of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel getting back on track is exceedingly high – a subject I brought up last week to the key players in the region who concurred if the ayatollah goes down, historic peace advances.»
As the attacks were under way and battle damage assessments were yet to come, Graham delivered his prayers to the troops undertaking the operation.
«As to the men and women participating in this operation for our country and Israel, may God bless you and keep you safe,» he wrote. «If you are injured or fall, I believe with all my heart that your sacrifice makes your country and the world a better and safer place. This moment is why you chose to serve.
«This operation has been well-planned. It will be violent, extensive and I believe, at the end of the day, successful. Again the demise of the ayatollah’s regime with American blood on its hands is necessary and more than justified.»
MORNING GLORY: WHAT WILL PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP DECIDE TO DO WITH IRAN?
The U.S. has authorized non-essential embassy personnel to leave Israel amid escalating tensions with Iran. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images)
And, one of Trump’s long-time Republican critics, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., also posted on X, noting Trump has not sought congressional approval – although there was a briefing held with the Gang of Eight earlier this week.
«Acts of war unauthorized by Congress,» Massie wrote on X.
Senate Armed Forces Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., praised the «decisive action» against «the world’s leading proliferator of terrorism.»
«This is a pivotal and necessary operation to protect Americans and American interests,» Wicker wrote in a statement. «The president has stated the operation’s goals clearly: thwart permanently the ayatollahs’ desire to create a nuclear weapon, degrade their ballistic missile force and their production capacity, and destroy their naval and terrorism capabilities.
«These are the hardest decisions that face any American commander-in-chief, and I appreciate that President Trump and his team conducted a comprehensive strategy using all tools of national power and a well-orchestrated military planning process.»
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The time to strike was now, according to Wicker.
«The Iranian regime has never been weaker,» he added. «Without the use of military force against them, Iran’s ayatollahs would simply continue to grow their ability to threaten Americans and our interests, working in concert with the Chinese Communist Party, the Russian dictator Putin, North Korea, and other terrorist allies.
«The ayatollahs have mortgaged the economic future of ordinary Iranians to engage in their obsessive and apocalyptic vision.
Most importantly, I commend the brave men and women of our armed forces, who continue to demonstrate a level of operational proficiency unrivaled the world over. That fact will be evident in the coming days. Thanks to them, Americans are safer – not just today, but for generations to come.»
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Israelis awoke Saturday to the news that Operation «Roaring Lion» had begun, with joint American-Israeli strikes targeting military sites inside Iran. Within hours, satellite images circulated in Israeli media appearing to show damage to a compound associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reportedly struck in the opening wave.
Air raid alerts were activated across parts of the country as Iran launched missile barrages in response. According to an Israeli military official speaking on background the incoming fire amounted to «more in the dozens» per round, though no significant impacts had been reported at the time of the briefing. Home Front Command urged civilians to follow updated safety instructions and avoid sharing real-time locations of missile strikes.
In a speech on Saturday morning, President Donald Trump condemned Tehran’s role in regional instability, saying, «From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq. The regime has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts. And it was Iran’s proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage. It was brutal, something like the world has never seen before.»
He added, «Iran is the world’s number-one state sponsor of terror… It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon.»
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, warning that «in the coming days we will be required to show resilience.» His remarks reflected a broader message from Israeli leadership framing the operation as necessary and potentially prolonged.
Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Israeli officials said the goal of the campaign is «to thoroughly degrade the Iranian regime’s capabilities and remove existential threats to the State of Israel.» The military cited renewed Iranian efforts to advance ballistic missile production and conceal elements of its nuclear program as justification for the timing of the strike.
Israeli assessments, according to local reports, indicate that Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei and a key figure linked to Iran’s nuclear program, was likely killed in the operation. The military has not formally confirmed specific individuals targeted, saying assessments are ongoing.
US JOINS ISRAEL IN PREEMPTIVE STRIKE ON IRAN AS TRUMP CONFIRMS ‘MAJOR COMBAT OPERATIONS’
Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv transfers patients to underground fortified facilities after the launch of the campaign against Iran. (Gideon Markowicz/TPS-IL)
The Israeli National Security Council issued a warning to Israelis abroad, urging them to take heightened precautions in all destinations and remain alert to potential threats against Israeli and Jewish targets overseas.
Inside Israel, the reaction combined tension with discipline. Schools in some areas shifted to remote learning, reservists received draft orders, and families checked that protected rooms were stocked. The military said approximately 70,000 reservists were being called up, largely for aerial defense, Home Front Command duties and border reinforcement.
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An interception is visible in the sky over Haifa during the latest barrage. (Anthony Hershko/TPS-IL)
Officials said forces are deployed across all borders in preparation for possible escalation involving Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and others. While leaders stressed that the targets are military and not civilian, they acknowledged that the coming days could test the country’s endurance.
For now, Israelis are watching closely as developments unfold, bracing for further retaliation while leaders signal that the campaign will continue «as long as necessary.»
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