Amid the wave of protests sweeping across Iran, the U.S. military has also been stirring. Three signals at this critical moment indicate that the battle is about to begin, and Trump is preparing to act. It's already too late to hesitate.

White House Post

At 12:00 a.m. on January 12, while most Chinese people were still asleep, the international stage was already turbulent. The White House posted a high-profile message on social media, which translates to one sentence: "God bless the U.S. military, God bless the United States, our actions have only just begun." Although only a few words, it exudes a clear "preparation for war" atmosphere, shocking the world.

The use of all capital letters, the white-headed eagle emoji symbolizing American spirit, the political slogan "Make America Great Again," and the ambiguous yet highly intimidating statement "our actions have only just begun" form a complete mobilization narrative. The White House's public mobilization speech has always been a "preliminary declaration" before special operations.

At almost the same time, an apparently absurd but repeatedly verified civilian indicator, the "Pentagon Pizza Index," showed an abnormal surge. The number of pizza orders near the Pentagon increased dramatically, with the highest increase reaching an astonishing 1250%, far exceeding the previous levels before any major military operation. From the period before Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, to the pre-operation of the 2026 raid on Venezuela to capture Maduro, this index has shown abnormal peaks each time.

Street in Tehran

Shortly after, the Australian government issued an emergency warning to its citizens in Iran, urging them to leave as soon as possible. In the notice, Australia clearly stated that Iranian airspace might be closed at any time, and it would be too late to leave. These three unusual signals appearing within a short period are certainly not coincidences.

They collectively point to a highly likely possibility: the U.S. military action against Iran is entering a countdown. This is not baseless speculation; several anonymous U.S. officials have also confirmed that Trump has listened to the report on the military strike plan against Iran and is now "seriously considering" it.

Protesters on the street

At the same time, the protests inside Iran have reached their peak, with countless casualties. To deal with the nationwide protests and external threats that have lasted for days, the Iranian government has implemented a national network shutdown and ordered the armed forces to enter a high state of alert, creating a volatile domestic atmosphere.

If the Trump administration truly chooses to escalate the military action against Iran at this moment, its motives are multi-layered and complex, far from a spontaneous decision. Recent large-scale protests in Iran due to economic difficulties have been seen by the U.S. and Israel as a "historic window" to undermine the Tehran regime.

Through limited but intense military strikes, the U.S. hopes to achieve multiple objectives: first, directly demonstrating military power to intimidate Iran and encourage its domestic opposition, attempting to catalyze street protests into political change; second, responding to Israel's strategic demands, emphasizing the absolute dominance of the U.S. in the region, and completely changing the balance of power in the Middle East.

Khamenei

Certainly, a military strike against Iran is not a simple "surgical operation." It could become a spark that ignites a full-scale regional conflict and triggers a global crisis. Iran is not Venezuela; its military has clearly stated that it will defend national interests, and may even launch a preemptive attack against the U.S. and Israel.

The White House's tweet, the Pentagon's pizza, and Canberra's alert collectively sound the alarm for war. The Trump administration indeed has the military options and a seemingly "reasonable" timing to strike Iran. However, the risks and benefits of this move are severely imbalanced. For Washington, it could be a strategic gamble that leads to uncontrollable consequences and ultimately backfires; for Tehran, it is an ultimate test of the survival of the regime; for the world, it could be a turning point toward greater chaos.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7594383865255428660/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.