US-Iran Tensions LIVE: US draws up advanced Iran strike plans – from targeting leaders to regime change, says officials

US military planning on possible Iran action has reached an advanced stage, with options under consideration that range from targeting individual Iranian leaders to pursuing regime change if ordered by President Donald Trump, US officials were quoted as saying by Reuters.

Israel army says on ‘defensive alert’ regarding Iran but no change to public guidelines

Looks like Donald Trump will soon struck Iran. When asked if he was considering ‘limited strikes’ on Iran, the US President said, “I guess I can say I am considering that.”

This comes even as Tehran said that the draft nuclear deal will be ready in two to three days.

Day after Donald Trump gave a 10-day warning to Iran to make a deal or “bad things will happen”, Iran has said that the draft nuclear deal will be ready in 2-3 days.

Poland issued a warning to its citizens, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday saying, “Everyone who is still in Iran must leave immediately, and under no circumstances should anyone plan to travel to that country. The possibility of heated conflict is very real, and in a few, a dozen or several dozen hours, evacuation may no longer be an option.”

A senior advisor to Trump told Axios that there is a “90% chance” of military action against Iran within the next “few weeks”.

International Politics professor David Dunn told FirstPost that the positioning of the forces indicates that the use of force is likely.

“It’s partly because the way in which these two different carrier backing groups are being deployed. One has been deployed for offensive purposes and the second is being deployed off Israel in an effort to try and defend Israel for any retaliatory track,” Dunn said.

Trump wants Iran to make “no nuclear weapons,” while Iran has said that it has no plans to build one.

Oil remained near a six-month high after President Donald Trump warned Iran had at most 15 days to reach a deal over its nuclear programme, as the US gathers a wide range of forces in the Middle East. Brent traded above $71 a barrel, heading for a weekly increase of about 5%, while West Texas Intermediate was near $66. Trump said he believed 10 to 15 days were about the “maximum” he would permit for negotiations to continue, raising concerns about a conflict and possible disruptions to oil supply, Bloomberg reported.

Amid the Iran-US crisis, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a press briefing, said, “We are keeping an eye on the situation and staying in constant touch with the Indian community living there (in Iran).”

On Wednesday, CNN and CBS reported that the US military would be prepared to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, although Trump has reportedly not yet made a final decision.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier issued a warning to Iran, saying, “If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine,” AFP reported.

US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that Iran needs to reach a “meaningful deal” in negotiations with Washington within the next 10 days. Otherwise, “bad things happen,” he warned, as he sent warships, fighter jets, and other military equipment to the region.

“Crude oil prices are rising on the anticipation of possible military action in Iran,” Louis Navellier at Navellier & Associates told Bloomberg. “The US and Iran are expected to meet again, and those negotiations are expected to be closely watched.”

The US has deployed military forces in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and refuelling tankers, indicating a possibility for a major strike against Iran.