The United States is entering a critical period regarding Iran, as President Donald Trump faces key decisions on how to respond to what officials describe as Iran’s “resurgence.”
In June, a joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign targeted Iranian military, nuclear, and weapons manufacturing sites. The strikes dealt significant blows to both Iran’s nuclear and missile programs but did not eliminate them entirely.
While general assessments suggest that Iran’s nuclear program has been halted, the country still retains large quantities of uranium enriched to 60%. The repeated airstrikes also hit missile factories and many launch platforms.
However, that was five months ago. U.S. officials warned at the time that Iran could revive its nuclear program within 12 months if it chose to. Since last summer, American intelligence has also maintained that Iran is capable of rebuilding its missile program.