Trump Eyes Strike on Fordow as Intel Warns Iran Nears Nuclear Capability

CBS News reports that President Donald Trump has been briefed on the risks and benefits of bombing Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility. Sources say Trump believes disabling the site is critical, citing Iran’s ability to rapidly produce nuclear weapons if the facility remains intact. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, including recent EU talks with Iran’s foreign minister in Switzerland,Trump reportedly sees the threat as too urgent to rely solely on diplomacy.

When Israel attacked Iran last Thursday night, most people did not pay attention to the precise timing: Trump had provided Iran with a generous 60 day period to reach an agreement regarding dismantling or ending its nuclear program. There was a lot of back and forth but nothing conclusive was achieved. On the 61st day, Israel struck Iran. Trump himself has admitted this timing was no coincidence.

In addition to this, he helped Israel to pull the wool over Iran's eyes, pretending to be disgusted with Netanyahu, and even announcing, mere hours before the strike, that Israel may or may not strike Iran, but it's not definite and it's likely not imminent.

Then there was also Israel's messaging - Netanyahu's sudden illness, his vacation to the North and indeed assertions that Israel wouldn't attack before his son Avner's wedding.

The only puzzle piece which doesn't fit at all is Tulsi Gabbard.

On June 10th, she posted a three-minute video on X warning that the world is “closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before” due to “political elites and warmongers” escalating tensions among nuclear powers. Filmed after visiting Hiroshima, Japan, where she reflected on the 1945 atomic bombing, the video featured graphic imagery of nuclear devastation and a simulated attack on San Francisco. Gabbard highlighted the destructive power of modern nuclear weapons, stating a single one could “kill millions in minutes” and potentially trigger a “nuclear winter” starving billions. She urged the public to “demand an end to this madness” and reject policies risking nuclear war, implying elites might be reckless due to access to private shelters.

Gabbard’s video irritated White House officials and clashed with President Trump’s hawkish stance on Iran, especially as he considered supporting Israel’s June 2025 airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump publicly dismissed Gabbard’s March 2025 testimony that Iran wasn’t building a nuclear weapon, stating on June 17, “I don’t care what she said. I think they were very close to having one.” Reports indicate Gabbard was excluded from key Iran policy discussions, like a June 8 Camp David meeting, signaling her diminishing influence.

Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe has privately warned that Iran is “very close” to nuclear weapon capability. According to sources, he compared Tehran’s progress to football players positioned “at the one-yard line”, just short of building a bomb, despite no formal order to do so.

In parallel, journalist Barak Batash notes that Trump has come to a strategic conclusion: dismantling or destroying Fordow is essential to any effective U.S.-Israeli action plan on Iran. One option under consideration, per CBS, is that Iran might dismantle the facility voluntarily, if faced with enough pressure.

However, not all allies are aligned. French diplomatic sources told journalist Gili Cohen that even a successful strike on Fordow would not destroy Iran’s overall nuclear program. “A military operation can only delay, not eliminate it,” the source warned. They called for a long-term diplomatic solution, tightly supervised and verifiable, to contain Iran’s ambitions. Any military strike, they cautioned, risks dispersing nuclear technology and materials.

To complicate matters further, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former senior advisor and vocal opponent of Iran strikes, was just spotted entering the White House as internal pressure mounts against military action in the Middle East.

Bannon has intensified lobbying efforts in recent days, urging the White House to avoid attacking Iran despite Israeli operations against Iranian nuclear facilities. The former strategist is leading a faction of Trump-aligned Republicans pushing for restraint.

Joining Bannon's opposition are prominent Trump allies including journalist Tucker Carlson and radio host Alex Jones, creating a significant counter-pressure campaign within Republican circles traditionally supportive of strong military action.

The internal divisions highlight competing influences on Trump's Iran policy as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated that U.S. involvement "depends on Trump" and that the president "will do what's good for America." The presence of anti-intervention voices at the White House suggests Trump faces substantial pressure from his base to avoid direct military engagement, even as Israel continues its expanded campaign against Iranian targets.

Update: According to journalist Amit Segal, Israeli officials have made clear that their patience is limited as they await a decision from President Trump regarding a potential strike on Iran. “The wait for Trump won’t last much longer,” one official reportedly said. “If he doesn’t act, we will handle Fordow ourselves.”