Iran is sitting on a powder keg. Trump is considering an attack, Israel is on high alert. Tehran warns Washington of retaliation
Illustrative image of a US B-2 Spirit strategic bomber dropping a “bunker buster” bomb like those US media say were used in the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025. Photo: capture X
Israel is on high alert in the event of possible US intervention to support Iran's nationwide protest movement, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. US President Donald Trump has been briefed in recent days on new options for a military strike against Iran, according to The New York Times.
Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any US attack would lead to Tehran retaliating against Israel and US regional military bases, which are considered “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.
“In the event of a US military attack, both Israel and US military and naval centers will be our legitimate targets,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.
“In legitimate defense, we do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after an action, and we tell Trump and his allies in the region not to make a mistake,” added Ghalibaf, who called Trump “delusional,” according to Iran International.
The reaction from Tehran came as Reuters reported that Israel was on high alert in case of possible US intervention in Iran, after authorities there began to face the biggest anti-government protests in years, according to three well-informed Israeli sources.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days and warned Iran's leaders against using force against the protesters. On Saturday, Trump said the US was “ready to help”.
Trump is considering an attack on Iran
The US president has been briefed in recent days on new military strike options against Iran as he considers responding to the Islamic Republic's crackdown on protesters, several US officials told The New York Times.
Trump has yet to make a final decision, but is seriously considering authorizing a strike in response to the deadly crackdown on protests.
He was presented with several options, including attacks on non-military targets in Tehran, sources told the NYT who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential conversations.
When asked about planning for possible attacks, the White House referred to the US leader's public comments and social media posts.
Israel-US talks
The sources, who attended Israeli security consultations over the weekend, did not elaborate on what Israel's state of high alert means in practice. Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, in which the US joined Israel in launching airstrikes.
Last year, the US military attacked three nuclear plants in Iran as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, using B-2 bombers carrying bunker buster missiles.
In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran, according to an Israeli source who was present for the conversation.
A US official confirmed that the two spoke, but did not specify what topics they discussed.
Israel has shown no signs of wanting to intervene in Iran as protests grip the country and tensions between the two mortal enemies run high over Israeli concerns about Iran's nuclear and ballistic programs.
In an interview with the Economist published Friday, Netanyahu said Iran would suffer dire consequences if it attacked Israel. Alluding to the protests, he said: “As for the rest, I think we should see what's happening inside Iran.”
VIDEO Massacre in Iran under digital “blackout”: Security forces fire at protesters. Witnesses described “bodies piling up” in hospitals and dramatic scenes on the streets of Tehran
