Trump Warns Iran of Imminent Military Action if Deadline Is Missed
Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face sweeping military action as early as Tuesday night if it fails to agree to a ceasefire, escalating tensions between the two countries.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said the United States has the capability to “take out” Iran in a single night, emphasizing that Tehran must meet a self-imposed deadline or face significant consequences. The warning follows earlier statements in which he threatened large-scale strikes targeting critical infrastructure, including power facilities.
At the same briefing, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated that military operations were already intensifying, noting that Monday would see the heaviest wave of strikes since the start of the campaign, with even greater action expected if the standoff continues into Tuesday.
Trump also revealed details of a recent U.S. military operation to rescue a downed American airman inside Iranian territory. According to the president, the pilot had taken refuge in mountainous terrain and continuously moved to avoid detection while awaiting rescue.
The mission involved hundreds of U.S. personnel and relied heavily on intelligence coordination. John Ratcliffe, who was present at the briefing, said the CIA carried out a deception campaign to mislead Iranian forces about the airman’s location.
Ratcliffe confirmed that intelligence operatives located the pilot on Saturday, describing him as alive and concealed in a mountain crevice. The airman, who had been shot down on Friday, was successfully rescued on Sunday.
Trump praised the operation as a highly precise and coordinated effort, stating that U.S. forces engaged hostile elements, secured the airman, and exited Iranian territory without sustaining casualties.
Hegseth added that the pilot had used an emergency transponder to aid rescuers, and that his first transmitted message after the incident was: “God is good.”
The developments come amid rising tensions and the looming deadline, with the possibility of further escalation depending on Iran’s response.
