[Source / Observer Network Xiong Chaoyan] Israel and Iran have continued to attack each other in recent days. Will the United States get militarily involved in the current Middle East conflict? Just as U.S. President Trump is still making his final decision, some U.S. media pointed out the differences among various parties regarding the progress of Iran's nuclear program, while another U.S. media directly came out to boost Trump and encourage him to go to war with Iran.

On June 17 local time, CNN reported that at a time when Israel has issued a series of serious warnings about Iran's nuclear program, four informed sources revealed that the U.S. intelligence assessment reached different conclusions - Iran is not actively seeking nuclear weapons, and it will take three years for them to produce and launch nuclear weapons at their chosen targets. Another senior U.S. official said that Iran is almost at the final stage before manufacturing nuclear weapons, "If Iran wants (nuclear weapons), they have everything they need."

At the same time, in response to U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's statement in March this year that "the U.S. intelligence community believes that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons," Trump directly contradicted this official he appointed in his latest interview: "I don't care what she said before, I think they (Iran) are already very close to having nuclear weapons."

On the same day, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial titled "Iran Is Trump's Moment of Deterrence," which stated that since President Biden handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban regime on that day, his presidency began to decline, America's deterrence fell apart, and America's enemies saw opportunities to launch attacks in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The article argued that when Trump was weighing whether to assist Israel in bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, the strategic interests were already clear. Although Iran lost the war, it still refused to abandon its nuclear program. They hoped that Trump could save them through more delay diplomacy. Now, Trump has the opportunity to reverse Biden's defeat in Afghanistan. If he helps Israel destroy Iran's nuclear program, he can rebuild deterrence.

June 16 local time, Andrews Joint Base, Maryland, USA, President Trump talked to reporters during the flight back from Calgary, Canada aboard Air Force One. Visual China

Internal divisions exist, U.S. media write to boost Trump

CNN reported that for Iran, the real challenge is not only in manufacturing a nuclear device; experts say that if determined, Iran might be able to achieve this goal within months. However, it is more challenging to develop a practical delivery system, which may take longer.

While U.S. intelligence officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency are assessing the damage caused by Israel's air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, some people are concerned that this lightning strike might lead Iran to take actions that the U.S. government believes they have not yet undertaken: truly initiating the nuclear weapons program.

However, a source familiar with the latest intelligence indicated: "Iran is preoccupied with its own affairs and it is difficult to determine whether they still possess the capability and technological reserves to advance their nuclear weapons program."

Although Trump has clearly stated that he does not want the U.S. to get involved in Israel's efforts to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, his administration acknowledges that if Israel wants to completely destroy Iran's nuclear program, the only way is to obtain U.S. military support. CNN said that this delicate balance has sparked debates between isolationist factions and some hawkish Republican allies within the president's advisory team, and Trump's attitude remains ambiguous.

At this moment, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial stating that some believe that Israel has achieved significant results in recent days, so the U.S. does not need to join the fight. However, even so, Israel still lacks the firepower to completely destroy all of Iran's nuclear facilities. To destroy the Fordow fuel enrichment plant located deep underground in the mountains, U.S. bunker-busting bombs and strategic bombers must be used.

Others worry that U.S. support for Israel will provoke Iran to retaliate against U.S. forces and expand the conflict. However, this editorial mentioned that Iran had previously threatened retaliation for Israeli attacks but has taken no action so far - Tehran knows that the U.S. military response to such attacks would be more terrifying than the destruction of nuclear facilities.

Another group of "isolationists" believe that bombing Iran would turn into another "nation-building operation." But this editorial refuted this claim, arguing that if the U.S. does not bomb the Fordow nuclear facility, Israel is more likely to launch a ground offensive. Destroying the nuclear facilities could end the war faster and with fewer casualties on both sides.

Saying all this, the intention of The Wall Street Journal is quite clear. The article again brought up former President Biden to "criticize" him, suggesting that not only on the Afghanistan issue, but also in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and when Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked U.S. ships in the Red Sea, Biden's strategists were afraid to make strong responses for fear of escalating the situation. This actually means that Russia and Iran control the pace of escalation. Surely Trump doesn't want to repeat such a mistake?

August 30, 2021, multiple U.S. military aircraft took off from Kabul International Airport to evacuate. U.S. media

To boost Trump, the article mentioned that Iran and its proxy organizations might launch terrorist attacks, but this is nothing new. From the 1983 Beirut naval barracks bombing to the 1996 Khobar Towers attack in Saudi Arabia, there has been no interruption over the decades. The only period in the past 25 years when Iran has shown restraint was after the U.S. invaded Iraq and overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime - at that time, the Iranian regime feared that it might be the next target.

"All this means that this is a crucial moment of deterrence for the new Trump administration and Israel. The world will measure every new president, even someone like Trump who is returning to office. He won as a 'peacemaker,' and his opponents are observing how he responds under pressure and strategic threats."

The Wall Street Journal finally hyped up, including Russia and China are paying attention to Trump's reaction. If Trump assists Israel in implementing the "red lines" it has drawn regarding Iran's nuclear program, he will declare to the world that America's deterrence has returned, and Biden's failures in Afghanistan and elsewhere will eventually be buried in the dust of history.

The U.S. military is more anxious than the intelligence community, where are the difficulties in striking Iran?

CNN said that regarding Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, the U.S. Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, showed greater urgency than the civilian intelligence community.

According to informed sources, before Israel launched its attack, the U.S. Central Command had made a more severe time prediction, believing that if Iran fully sprinted toward developing nuclear weapons, it could obtain usable nuclear weapons faster than expected.

In recent weeks, senior U.S. military officials, including Commander of the U.S. Central Command Michael Kurilla, have requested additional resources to provide defensive support for Israel during the ongoing clashes with Iran, but explicitly excluding assistance for offensive strikes.

As the U.S. military transferred large numbers of tankers and fighter jets to Europe and the Middle East, signs of U.S. military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict became increasingly evident, with the fire seemingly ready to ignite.

CNN reported on June 17 that Trump's attitude towards using U.S. military force to strike Iran's nuclear facilities has become increasingly positive, and he has gradually cooled down on the idea of solving the conflict between Iran and Israel through diplomatic means. Two officials familiar with internal discussions said that although Trump has not completely ruled out the diplomatic route, his hawkish stance has significantly shifted compared to before.

In the face of a sudden regional escalation, Trump's departure from the G7 summit also sparked speculation. A White House official said on June 17 that Trump met with his national security team in the Situation Room that day. Analysts believe this is a signal that the U.S. is about to launch a military strike against Iran.

CNN said that until now, Israel has not caused substantial damage to Iran's most impregnable fortress in its nuclear program - the Fordow uranium enrichment facility hidden deep inside a mountain.

"This brings us back to one question: Fordow, Fordow, Fordow," said Brett McGurk, a former senior Middle Eastern diplomat for the Trump and Biden administrations and CNN analyst: "This is something the U.S. can destroy, but Israel finds it difficult. If the Fordow facility remains intact without any damage, the problem may be more serious. You might actually push Iran toward developing nuclear weapons, and their facilities remain intact."

Satellite images taken on June 14, 2025, show no visible damage to Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. Satellite imaging company Maxar

The Trump administration stated that diplomatic solutions are still possible. However, according to a regional diplomat, Iran has indicated through Qatar and Oman that it will refuse any negotiations during an Israeli attack. On the other hand, Israel hinted that it will not end its military actions in the short term.

Different from the editorial attitude of The Wall Street Journal, CNN published an article on June 16 arguing that strong national security considerations and domestic political factors indicate that the U.S. should stay out of the long-term conflict that Israel claims as a "life-or-death battle" with Iran. This position is wise. However, powerful forces may draw the U.S. deeper into the conflict, rather than just providing defensive weapons for Israel as it currently does.

If Iran attacks U.S. military bases and personnel in the Middle East or targets globally, as Trump threatened in his post, Washington will inevitably respond strongly. Additionally, if Iran pressures Trump by attacking international shipping in the Red Sea, etc., to force him to rein in Israel, this might trigger a global energy crisis.

Domestically in the U.S., Trump is facing increasing pressure. Some Republicans believe that if diplomacy fails to compel Iran to "abandon its nuclear program," the U.S. may have no choice but to intervene militarily in this conflict. Right-wing advocates of the "America First" movement are demanding that Trump adhere to their isolationist stance and avoid getting entangled in a new Middle Eastern war.

CNN believes that after hitting a wall in trying to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, backing down timidly after launching a tariff war with China, and now being dragged into the water by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Trump has been "flouted" by Russia, China, and Israel. His foreign policy is unraveling, and the article even suggests that this Iran crisis might define the success or failure of Trump's second term.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517220121148998196/

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