“In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it,” Trump has said. Iran remains defiant in the face of ultimatums, pledging unprecedented retaliation to any attack.

Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain
Feb 18, 2026

A former senior U.S. intelligence official who is an informal advisor to the Trump administration on Middle East policy told Drop Site that, based on his discussions with current officials, he assesses an 80-90% likelihood of U.S. strikes within weeks.

Iran realizes that it is facing an unprecedented threat from the U.S. if a deal that conforms with Trump’s terms is not reached, former Pentagon official Jasmine El-Gamal told Drop Site. “This is not a dress rehearsal,” she said. “This is it. This is not the negotiations of last year or the year before or the year before that. They’re backed into a corner. There’s no off ramp.”

    • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆@lemmy.ml
      191·
      11 hours ago

      The point would be to let the world know just how unhinged the Burger Reich is and that they’re willing to end humanity if they don’t get what they want.

    • RamenJunkie@midwest.socialEnglish
      21·
      6 hours ago

      Trump is desperate to be remebered in history as ANYTHING besides the chikd rapist he is. See also why he has been demolishing DC to build shitty Trump monuments. Dropping a Nuke would put him in the books too.