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He didn’t mince words about what that retaliation could look like: “If a conflict is imposed on us, all U.S. bases are within our reach, and we will boldly target them in host countries.”
This saber-rattling comes as Iran and the U.S. prepare for a fresh round of nuclear negotiations set to take place in Oman. The timing of Israel’s strikes—just before those high-stakes talks—has raised speculation that the mission may have been intended to derail or influence the outcome of the upcoming discussions.
President Trump wasted no time responding to the rapidly deteriorating situation. On Thursday, he ordered the evacuation of American diplomatic personnel from the U.S. embassy in Iraq and authorized the families of military service members to leave American installations throughout the region.
“We have a lot of American people in this area,” Trump stated. “And I said, we got to tell them to get out because something could happen soon, and I don’t want to be the one that didn’t give any warning and missiles are flying into their buildings.”
Despite the finger-pointing from Iran, U.S. officials have denied any involvement in the Israeli strikes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a direct response, clarifying America’s position in the conflict.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said.
He emphasized that the Israeli government made the decision independently, stating, “Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners.”
Rubio added a final warning: “Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
The strikes came in the wake of Iran reportedly violating its international commitments related to nuclear weapons. Tehran residents reported hearing explosions northeast of the capital in the early hours of Friday, underscoring the reach and severity of the attacks.
Behind the scenes, President Trump has reportedly been urging restraint. In conversations with Israeli officials on Thursday, he signaled that striking Iran while a potential nuclear agreement was still on the table could be risky.
“As long as I think there is an agreement, I don’t want them going in, because I think that would blow it,” Trump told reporters. “Might help it, actually, but it also could blow it.”
The world is now watching to see how Tehran responds. One wrong move, and the fragile diplomatic thread holding this situation together could snap—plunging the Middle East into a conflict with global consequences.
Stay tuned.
