US President Donald Trump has held an emergency meeting at the White House with his military and security chiefs on whether to launch a major new attack on Iran. The meeting took place after ordinary voters delivered a verdict against the war in the recent US midterm elections, and amid rising political tension inside the government.
Diplomatic sources say that 9 November will be a new-moon night in the Middle East, bringing pitch darkness, the most suitable time for a military attack. The Trump administration’s military advisers are making strategic preparations with this date in mind.
After the meeting, President Trump said the United States had kept key areas of Iran under its control for the past seven months. He does not want to destroy the whole country, he said, but a final decision may have to be taken if the situation forces it.
Trump now has three options: launch fresh strikes, keep up a strict economic blockade on Iran, or reach a settlement through negotiations. While US warships and military forces are taking up positions near the Middle East, deep divisions of opinion have emerged within Trump’s own administration.
Vice President JD Vance favours talks over war, while senior defence department officials and Israel want to end the war by using military force.
Washington politics is heated after the election defeat. Republicans and Democrats alike are locked in a war of words over the cost of the war and the military leadership. Although Democrats have sharply criticised the Trump administration’s war policy, they have not yet made a final decision on blocking future military budgets. Overall, America’s next move in the Middle East should become clear within the next few days.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report