Trump Offers Iran a Path to De-escalation

On Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump indicated a willingness to offer the Iranian regime a path forward following a significant military operation launched earlier that day. Speaking with Axios, Trump outlined potential “off ramps” for Iran to consider, aiming to prevent further hostilities that involve both US and Israeli forces.

During the conversation from Mar-a-Lago, Trump emphasized his strategic options, stating, “I can extend the conflict and take comprehensive control, or I can conclude it in a matter of days, leaving a clear message to the Iranians: ‘We’ll meet again if you resume nuclear and missile development in the future.'”

The President expressed confidence that the current military actions would significantly delay Iran’s recovery efforts, suggesting it would take “several years” for the nation to rebound from the attack.

Earlier that day, CNN disclosed plans from Trump’s administration for a series of escalating strikes on Iran. These plans included multiple opportunities for Iran’s leaders to opt for a diplomatic resolution, highlighting Trump’s readiness to explore peaceful alternatives amid rising tensions.

CNN reported earlier on Saturday that Trump had planned ‘escalating’ strikes on Iran with several ‘off ramps’ if regime leaders decided to come to the table and again seek a diplomatic solution. 

Tehran instead first responded by sending missiles and drones toward Israel and the US’s regional partners in the Middle East, with attacks reported in Qatar – the location of the US’s largest military base in the region – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.  

In the popular UAE tourist destination of Dubai, the Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel was seen on fire after a strike, with video footage showing the assault was carried about by a suicide drone.

Saudi Arabia – which doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Israel but whose leadership is close to the Trump administration – also reported that Iran had targeted Riyadh, but the attacks were repelled. 

Smoke can be seen rising over Tehran, Iran Saturday morning after the US and Israel conducted ‘major’ operations after nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran broke down 

President Donald Trump announced the news of the Iran strikes via Truth Social, posting a video of his speech at 2:30 a.m. ET 

Giving the Iranians an off ramp could give Trump political cover, as new Daily Mail/JL Partners polling had shown there wasn’t an appetite among American registered voters to go to war with Iran. 

Just 32 percent of registered voters surveyed backed the use of force with 37 percent outright opposed. Trump’s own voters, however, were more supportive than their Democratic counterparts. 

The initial assault – which Trump referred to as ‘Operation Epic Fury’ – used ‘one way attack drones’ for the first time in combat, according to Fox News Channel.

Also referred to as ‘kamikaze’ drones, the weapons fly into targets and then detonate.

Tomahawk missiles were used to take out Iran’s air defenses before the drones were deployed. 

‘We have effectively suppressed their air defenses,’ a US official told Fox.  

The US military focused on ‘high value targets,’ Fox said, including assets important to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and ‘underground targets’ that likely were part of Iran’s nuclear program. 

Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour were killed in Israeli attacks, sources told Reuters

This map charts US and Israel’s strikes on Iranian targets in red and Iran’s retaliatory strikes in Israel, Qatar the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in orange 

An explosion is seen off the coast of Haifa in northern Israel Saturday as Iran retaliated against a joint US-Israel operation that took place Saturday morning

Iranian state media say an Israeli strike on a girls’ elementary school killed at least 40 people.

Trump announced the US strikes in a video message posted to Truth Social at 2:30 a.m. ET. 

In an eight minute speech, given from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the President said he had ordered a ‘major’ strike on Iran after nuclear negotiations between the two countries had broken down.

‘Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,’ Trump said. 

He, again, reiterated that the Iranian regime must never obtain a nuclear weapon.

While Trump’s military maneuvering so far in his second term – the January capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and the ‘Midnight Hammer’ attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in June – haven’t cost servicemembers’ lives, he warned that Americans could die this time around.

‘Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill,’ Trump said. ‘The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties.’

‘That often happens in war,’ the commander-in-chief added. ‘But we’re doing this not for now, we’re doing this for the future and it is a noble mission.’

A social media post shows the Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel in the popular tourist destination of Dubai, UAE on fire Saturday after an Iranian rocket strike 

A smoke plume rises over Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, a country that houses US military personnel and installations

Smoke from a reported rocket interception is seen over the sky in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates where the US has military personnel 

Trump called out the Iranian regime and their proxies for creating ‘mass terror’ around the world, but he also pointed to the Tehran’s recent mass murder domestically, of protesters in their own streets. 

In mid-January, the President had promised those protesters that ‘help is on the way.’

In his overnight message, he pushed the Iranian people to take back control of their government, which was put in place after the 1979 Iranian revolution. 

‘Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered, don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere,’ Trump said. ‘When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.’ 

The President is not immediately expected to address the American people with the reporters present.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said mid-morning Saturday that ahead of the strikes Secretary of State Marco Rubio had reached out to members of the Gang of Eight, the members of Congress who are expected to be briefed on top classified matters. 

Leavitt said Rubio was able to reach seven of the eight members, without revealing which lawmaker hadn’t been informed. 

She also said Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone. 

‘The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,’ Leavitt said.