A US news website has claimed that President Donald Trump authorized new military strikes against Iran after becoming increasingly frustrated with Tehran’s delay in responding to a proposed agreement.
According to the report, citing two senior US officials, the immediate trigger appeared to be an incident involving an American Apache helicopter. However, officials said the broader context was the stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran and Trump’s growing impatience.
US officials stated that Washington had been waiting for weeks for Iran’s response to American proposals, while the White House repeatedly conveyed that time for negotiations was running out.
The report said military planners deliberately kept the strikes limited in scope and sought to minimize casualties in order to preserve diplomatic options and keep the possibility of a future agreement alive.
According to the report, Iran was informed in advance that the operation would be confined to specific military targets. Officials added that a more severe response could have followed had there been casualties among the Apache helicopter crew.
Sources said regional mediators, including Qatar, remained engaged in efforts to revive negotiations and maintain communication between the two sides. During this period, Washington reportedly warned Tehran that further delays could complicate the situation.
The report claimed that the proposed agreement included provisions related to uranium enrichment, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and certain economic issues, although both sides failed to reach a final consensus.
US officials also suggested that domestic political pressure, media criticism and the lack of progress in negotiations contributed to Trump’s decision to adopt a tougher stance.
Despite the recent strikes, officials maintained that diplomatic channels remain open, but warned that continued delays by Iran could carry political and diplomatic consequences.
