President Donald Trump has received briefings on potential military options against Iran, as the regime intensifies its suppression of widespread protests sparked by economic woes. US officials confirm Trump is seriously contemplating strikes in response to Tehran's violent crackdown, though no final decision has been made.

The protests erupted in late December over a crippling currency crisis but have since ballooned into calls for sweeping changes to Iran's authoritarian government. Human rights groups report dozens of protesters killed, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowing on Friday that the regime will not yield.

Trump has issued stark warnings, stating on Friday that if Iran resumes mass killings as in the past, the US will intervene forcefully. "We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts," he told reporters, explicitly ruling out ground troops but promising severe repercussions.

White House spokespeople have pointed to Trump's social media posts, including a Saturday message declaring: "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" This rhetoric underscores his administration's readiness to act decisively.

Options presented to Trump include targeted strikes on non-military sites in Tehran, as well as actions against elements of Iran's security services directly involved in the violence. Senior officials emphasise caution to avoid rallying Iranian public support behind the regime or provoking retaliation against US personnel in the region.

A senior US military figure noted that commanders require additional time to fortify positions and defences ahead of any operation. This follows Trump's recent global airstrikes, including the January 3 assault on Venezuela that ousted Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

The State Department amplified this posture on Friday by posting footage of the Venezuela operation online, captioned: "Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he'll do something, he means it." Such displays signal a pattern of swift fulfilment of threats.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the Iranian unrest with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Saturday morning. Their conversation also covered Syria and a potential Gaza peace deal, with Rubio later tweeting US support for "the brave people of Iran."

This comes mere months after Trump's "Midnight Hammer" operation in June, where B-2 bombers and Navy submarines devastated three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran retaliated with missile strikes but later floated nuclear talks, claiming its programme is civilian-only.

Late last month, Trump hosted Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, where they addressed Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile advances. Trump voiced backing for Israeli action if Tehran persists, describing the regime as "behaving badly."

Trump's second term has seen aggressive US interventions worldwide, with airstrikes or missile launches in Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria, and the prior Iran and Venezuela operations. Notably, during his first term in 2020, he authorised a drone strike in Baghdad that eliminated IRGC-Quds Force commander General Qassem Soleimani.

The attached Economic Times compilation on Iran highlights interconnected tensions. Houthi attacks in the Gulf of Aden, including a recent tanker strike, persist amid Red Sea disruptions, while Yemen's Houthis mourn their chief of staff killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Trump's optimism for expanding the Abraham Accords, potentially including Saudi Arabia, contrasts with Iran's isolation. Tehran faces US sanctions on its energy trade, targeting Indian nationals, Chinese refineries, and others facilitating oil sales that fund its programmes.

Iran's Foreign Minister has signalled openness to a "fair and balanced" US nuclear proposal, contingent on sanctions relief, amid Chabahar port discussions involving India, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. Yet, Trump reiterated from Israel that the US awaits Tehran's readiness for a deal.

MI5 warnings of threats from Iran, Russia, and China to UK politicians, alongside Microsoft's reports of AI-enhanced cyberattacks by these nations on the US, paint a broader picture of escalating hybrid warfare. Pakistan's overtures for a US-backed port at Pasni could encircle Iran strategically.

Sales of advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles to NATO allies, Taiwan, Pakistan, and Israel raise regional security questions for powers like India, Russia, China, and Iran. Drone proliferation, with Iran leading in low-cost exports, underscores modern warfare shifts India must address.

As protests rage, Trump's calculus balances punishing Tehran's brutality against escalation risks. Any strike could reshape Middle East dynamics, testing US resolve amid Iran's nuclear ambitions and proxy networks.

International Agencies