Trump privately green-lights Iran strike plan but holds off final order, WSJ reports

US President Donald Trump has privately approved detailed plans for a possible military strike on Iran but has held back from issuing a final order, according to Wall Street Journal.

"Trump told senior aides late on Tuesday that he approved of attack plans for Iran, but was holding off on giving the final order to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear programme," WSJ reported, citing three people "familiar with the deliberations."

After his private instructions in the White House Situation Room to the military, Trump said on Wednesday that he has "ideas on what to do but I haven't made a final — I like to make the final decision one second before it's due."

"Trump is hoping that threatening to join Israel's strikes on Iran, which continued for a sixth day, will compel Tehran to meet his demands," WSJ added.

A senior White House official told WSJ that multiple options remain on the table, and that Trump would continue to watch how the Israelis operate.

Pentagon prepares, but diplomacy remains an option

To date, the US military's role has been limited to supporting Israel's defence against Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

Pentagon officials have confirmed that no definitive order has been issued for direct US involvement.

The US Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs Chairman attended a White House meeting on Wednesday, following a congressional hearing.

While strike planning is under way, sources told WSJ that Trump may still prefer to resolve the crisis diplomatically.

The Iranian government has rejected any negotiations under military pressure.

"Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance," Iran's UN Mission said in a statement, in an apparent reference to Trump.

A possible target is Iran's Fordow uranium enrichment facility, situated deep beneath a mountain.

As yet, Israel hasn't struck the site, widely thought impervious to conventional munitions.

The United States is the only country known to possess 30,000-pound (around 13.5 tonnes) bunker-buster bombs capable of destroying the site.

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Source: TRT