“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.”

    • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
      2·
      5 hours ago

      Unlike you, I recognize that civilian deaths are inevitable when another country attacks another country with a shit pretext. And not only did I say the pretext to attack the US is it having ice concentration camps, it is more just than your US manufactured pretext to attack Iran). Fuck off dipshit

        • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
          3·
          3 hours ago

          If you think Iran should be bombed because they are reactionary and commit attrocities then you’re one of those useful idiots that cheer on imperialism. Lick that boot harder. The attrocities the US did inside and outside their border dwarfs anything Iran did (ICE concentration camps is not the worst the US did by a long shot)

            • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
              3·
              2 hours ago

              Do you think we should give up on the Iranian people because the US committed atrocities?

              No but they have a right to self determination and the US should not interfere, especially when they make it obvious that there’s an ulterior motive and have been inciting violent protests.

              Also, could you give a more graphical description of how you hope to see me die?

              With a prior warning of a roof knocker to disorient you before blasting you to pieces, in order for the nation state that does it to claim they’re the most moral army