President Donald Trump has given provisional approval for US military strikes against Iran, according to senior intelligence sources.
It comes after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that his "nation will never surrender".
The US president is understood to be delaying his final decision while Tehran considers abandoning its nuclear programme.
The possible US intervention comes after conflict in the Middle East conflict between Israel and Iran enters its seventh consecutive day of intense exchanges.
President Donald Trump has given provisional approval for US military strikes against Iran, according to senior intelligence sources
Reuters
Trump addressed the possibility of strikes from the White House, stating: "I may do it, I may not do it."
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump indicated his preference for last-minute decision-making, saying: "I like to make the final decision one second before it's due, because things change, especially with war."
The escalating violence has resulted in direct strikes on civilian and strategic infrastructure.
Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, Israel's main southern medical facility, sustained "extensive damage" after being struck by an Iranian ballistic missile overnight, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Israel retaliated by targeting Iran's heavy water reactor at Arak, Iranian state television reported.
American military planners are said to be considering Iran's Fordow nuclear development facility as a primary target.
Trump acknowledged America's capability to destroy the heavily fortified site, telling reporters: "That doesn't mean I'm going to do it - at all."
The diplomatic standoff between Washington and Tehran has intensified through direct exchanges between Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader.
When asked about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's declaration that he would "never surrender", Trump responded with two words: "Good luck."
The US president escalated tensions further by revealing American intelligence on Khamenei's whereabouts.
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Missiles launched from Iran towards Israel are seen from Hebron
Reuters
"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. Our patience is wearing thin," Trump posted on Truth Social.
Khamenei, believed to have been relocated to an underground bunker, responded defiantly in a televised address: "This nation will never surrender. America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage."
Tehran has warned that US strikes on its nuclear facilities would trigger "all out war", raising the stakes for any British decision on military support.
The Iranian leader directly challenged Trump's approach, saying: "Wise people who know Iran, its people, and its history never speak to this nation in the language of threats, because Iranians are not those who surrender."
Aftermath of an Iranian missile attack on Israel
Reuters
US officials have indicated that the next 24 to 48 hours will prove crucial in determining whether diplomatic solutions remain viable with Iran, according to ABC News reports.
The diplomatic impasse follows Trump's ultimatum on Truth Social demanding Iran's "unconditional surrender" and Khamenei's televised response that: "The battle begins."
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