The United States said on February 28 that it launched preventive military strikes against Iran after concluding that Tehran was preparing to use its missile arsenal against U.S. forces and allies — and had no intention of accepting meaningful restrictions on its nuclear program.
During a background briefing with reporters, senior administration officials argued that intelligence indicating a possible imminent Iranian attack, combined with what they described as the collapse of nuclear negotiations, left President Donald Trump with “no other choice” but to act.
According to the officials, the decision was driven by what they called a dual threat:
- Iran’s long-term ambition to obtain nuclear weapons
- Its immediate conventional missile capabilities
One official stated that Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal — particularly in the southern part of the country — posed an “unacceptable risk” to American forces in the region. Acting before those missiles could be launched, the official argued, would significantly reduce potential casualties compared to waiting for Iran to strike first.
The developments come amid rapidly escalating tensions across the Middle East, following coordinated U.S.-Israeli operations and Iranian retaliatory actions.
