When could Trump decide to strike Iran? These are the four most likely options

ANALYSIS

US President Trump is struggling with what may be the largest decision of his presidency, amid vast domestic and global pressures and counter-pressures pushing him in opposite directions.

'This isn’t a token strike,' analysts say as US prepares for a major confrontation with Iran

US President Donald Trump sits at his desk, behind a hat that reads "America is back" at the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 3, 2026.
THE WORLD'S largest aircraft carrier, the US Navy nuclear-powered Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) arrives in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, December 1, 2025.
An Iranian woman holds a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, near Azadi Tower during the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran February 11, 2026

'So commit suicide': IDF soldiers filed thousands of mistreatment complaints in 2025

Complaints in 2025 range from deficient vehicle defenses to racism, to blocking medical attention for certain soldiers, to invasion of privacy, to abusing military drivers for personal trips.

Bereaved families, friends and Israeli soldiers visit the graves of fallen soldier during Remembrance Day which commemorates the fallen Israeli soldiers and victims of terror at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem on April 30, 2025.
Finance Minister and Head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, February 16, 2026.

Business owners to protest outside Knesset as Smotrich raises Israel's import tax exemption

The government approved Smotrich's order on Sunday and is expected to be finalized through a vote in the Knesset plenum on Monday evening.

WEAPON FOUND by Israel Police while arresting four Israeli citizens who planned a terror attack.
WATCH

Four Israelis arrested in plot to carry out terror attack against IDF soldiers in Karmiel

Australian Jewish teen attacked at Scouts camp, accused of 'murdering children'

KURDISH INTERNAL security forces stand guard after seizing a quantity of captagon pills in Qamishli, Syria, March 25, 2025.

Syria announces major drug bust through coordination with Iraq against Captagon trafficking

A crowd gathers for a mass funeral of protests killed by the Iranian regime's violent clampdown of anti-regime protesters, in Tehran, January 14, 2026; illustrative.

Solution to Iran crisis is regime change, ousting Khamenei, Saudi royal family source says

REPORT
A Palestinian man, holding Misbaha prayer beads, inspects the debris at a mosque, which Palestinians say was damaged by Israeli settlers, in West Bank village of Surra, near Nablus in the West Bank, February 23, 2026.

Jewish settlers reportedly set fire to mosque near Nablus, spray 'revenge' in West Bank attack

REPORT
A member of the Mexican navy patrols Benito Juarez International Airport after Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," was killed in Jalisco state, in Mexico City, Mexico, February 22, 2026.

Mexican army kills CJNG's boss 'El Melcho': How is Mexico's most violent cartel so powerful?

EXPLAINER
Vehicles drive past a burning bus used as a roadblock by organized crime following a federal operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as "El Mencho," was killed, in Zapopan, Mexico, February 22, 2026.

New US military-led group aided Mexico's hunt for 'El Mencho' cartel boss

US President Donald Trump waves after speaking with members of the media on board Air Force One en route to Palm Beach, Florida, US, January 31, 2026.

Trump Organization signs deal with Altus to build Australia's tallest building, 'six-star hotel'

Ono Academic College unveils International Law Program bridging Israeli and US legal systems

New LL.B. track at Ono International School combines Israeli law with NY Bar eligibility

ONO ACADEMIC COLLEGE campus in Kiryat Ono.

Latest Articles   

Hit-and-run driver banned from driving, sentenced to prison

Syria, Iraq, coordinate against organized drug trafficking

Trump signs deal to build hotel in Gold Coast, Australia

Police arrest four Israelis in plot to target IDF soldiers

Business owners protest as Smotrich raises tax exemption

A new drug just entered Israel's health basket. It matters

Israel: IDF soldiers filed thousands of complaints in 2025

63% of Israelis lack confidence in using defibrillators

US ambassador summoned after French activist's death

Jewish settlers reportedly set fire to mosque in West Bank

Kahana: Iran's missiles is equivalent to nuclear threat

US to reportedly launch large strike if Iran refuses deal

Record-breaking blizzard to hit New York, East Coast

How is Mexico's most violent cartel so powerful?

Report: Iran's proxies may attack US targets in retaliation

Courts charge three Ashdod minors with theft, extortion

US military-led group aided Mexico's hunt for 'El Mencho'

Saudi source: Ousting Khamenei is solution for Iran

CJNG Mexican cartel head killed in military operation

Israel's health services prepare for war

Elderly Israeli woman killed in New Zealand car accident, ZAKA says

The woman, an American-Israeli resident of Jerusalem, was in New Zealand with her husband for a family event.

Ayelet Shaked calls for right-wing alliance amid shifting dynamics in anti-Netanyahu bloc

A ZAKA ambulance and El Al aircraft are seen at an airport in New Zealand, February 23, 2025

Former MK Kahana says Iranian missile threat is equivalent to nuclear threat, 'like Hiroshima'

MK Matan Kahana attends a National Unity faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on May 26, 2025.

Court charges minors with theft, extortion, knife possession after attacking man they met on Grindr

An Israel Police officer is seen arresting a man on a highway in an illustrative

Border Police officer killed by accidental IDF gunfire, investigation underway

Spotlight

Israeli fighter Ahavat HaShem Gordon after he defeated Turkish opponent Ali Kuyuncu at UTMA 17 after Kuyuncu declared a forfeit in the second round.

Sorry, ladies: Israeli breakout fighter Ahavat Hashem Gordon is already taken, and engaged

ISRAELI MUAY Thai fighter, Ahavat Hashem Gordon, seen with an Israeli flag following his win on February 21, 2026.

Turkish boxer attacks Israeli opponent before fight, Israeli wins in two rounds

Jack Hughes #86 and Quinn Hughes #43 of Team United States celebrate winning the gold medals after the team's 2-1 overtime victory in the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States in Milan, Italy, on February 22, 2026.

Jewish hockey star Jack Hughes’ overtime goal propels US to historic gold medal in Olympic hockey

Adam Edelman, Menachem Chen, Uri Zisman, and Omer Katz of Israel during four-man bobsleigh during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre.

Israel disqualifies own bobsleigh team from Winter Olympics for faking illness

Hugh Laurie confronts antisemitic backlash after his eulogy for Tehran producer Dana Eden

Laurie played a nuclear regulatory inspector in the third season of the series, which won an International Emmy for Best Drama Series, and which is available in Israel on KAN.

Gaza 'genocide' comment prompts walkout by German minister at Berlin Film Festival

British singer and actor Hugh Laurie greets the audience before his performance at the 46th Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux July 9, 2012.

Vanderbilt probes math lecturer over anti-Zionist, antisemitic teaching materials

Students crossing the lawn in front of the Faye and Joe Wyatt Center for Education on the campus of Peabody College at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., September 18, 2018.

UK slams West Midlands Police over Maccabi fan ban based on AI reports

Supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv hold flags at Dam Square ahead of the Europa League football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, in Amsterdam on November 7, 2024

Pro-Palestinian activists intimidate Jewish residents in UK, push for Israel boycott

US envoys Kushner, Witkoff to meet with Iranian FM Araghchi on Thursday, source tells 'Post'

US negotiators will meet Iran in Geneva on Thursday for a new round of nuclear talks, with significant gaps remaining over enrichment limits and Trump's "zero enrichment" stance.

Khamenei takes steps to ensure succession amid rising fears of US strikes, assassination

REPORT
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after a speech at the UN Conference on Disarmament at the sidelines of US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, February 17, 2026; illustrative.

Tehran is ready for nuclear concessions if US meets demands, Iranian official says

A man shows a sign mentioning US President Donald Trump during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in Rome, Italy, January 13, 2026.

Trump weighs smaller strike ahead of 'bigger attack in coming months' if Iran refuses deal

REPORT
IAF fighter jets taking off for strikes in Iran, June 16, 2025.

Iranians prefer 'precise' Israeli strike over US attack as protests resume at universities

Jonathan Greenblatt on the ADL's role, criticism, and combating Jew hatred

LISTEN

Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO, discusses rising antisemitism, the ADL’s role in protecting Jewish communities, and the impact of October 7 in a candid conversation.

Why Huckabee's interview with Tucker Carlson matters for the Middle East

ANALYSIS
Jonathan Greenblatt attends the TIME100 gala, celebrating the magazine’s annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, in New York City, U.S., April 24, 2025.
ANALYSIS

Preempting the proxy: Israel moves to contain Hezbollah before Iran clash

Hezbollah terrorists march in the funeral of senior terrorist Haytham Ali Tabatabai, others killed in IDF airstrike, in Beirut, November 24, 2025; illustrative.
ANALYSIS

Crisis-driver or Gaza stabilizer? Why Turkey believes it switched roles with Israel

The flags of Turkey and Israel are flown as President Isaac Herzog makes a state visit to Turkey, March 9, 2022.
ANALYSIS

New generation of Israeli voters more traditional, right-wing, poll shows

India-Israel tech synergy will define the next decade of defense strategy

OPINION

With its record FY27 defense budget, India is doubling down on AI, autonomy, and self‑reliance, reshaping its partnership with Israel in the process

Spain to buy Rafael German unit missiles despite Israel protest

A MiG-29K fighter jet sits on the flight deck of India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant during the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 off the coast of Visakhapatnam, India.
ANALYSIS

What Elbit’s new deal with TKMS means for submarine manufacturing independence

photographed on Enewetak, an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, in 1952, by a member of the United States Air Force's Lookout Mountain 1352d Photographic Squadron

A new nuclear era is taking shape and markets are repricing risk - opinion

OPINION
4th Infantry Regiment conducting EW training at the Hohenfels Training Area.

Tenna Systems raises $13.5m to advance software-driven spectrum intelligence

Iran could be close to enriching uranium for bomb-making material, Witkoff claims

The US envoy left out that Iran currently has no access to its material, no machines to enrich it, and no weapons program to use it for any operational purpose.

UN experts demand answers as Iran continues to cloud the truth on violent protest crackdown

Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani walks near an Iranian missile during an unveiling ceremony in Tehran, Iran, in this picture obtained on February 17, 2024.

French FM to summon US ambassador over comments on far-right activist's death

IMAGES REPRESENTING Quentin Deranque, a young far-right activist beaten to death during a violent assault by hard-left activists, with a text message reading: "Killed by Melenchon's militia", on the day of a march in tribute to Quentin Deranque, in Lyon, France, February 21, 2026.

Powerful Mexican Jalisco cartel head 'El Mencho' killed during military operation

National Guard members stand guard near a burnt bus set on fire by organised crime groups in response to an operation in Jalisco to arrest a high-priority security target, at one of the main avenues in Zapopan, state of Jalisco, Mexico, on February 22, 2026.

Modi to visit Israel, address Knesset, meet with Netanyahu

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at a press event as he delivers joint declarations alongside France's President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17, 2026; illustrative.

In Collaboration

‘To be a light unto the nations Israel must lead the global struggle for the survival of the West'

Sagiv Asulin: “To be a light unto the nations means that Israel must lead the global struggle for the survival of Western civilization”

2026 Next-Gen Women Entrepreneurship Award: Three minutes, one stage, real leverage

Last year's winner Alisa Givertz, founder and CEO of Liquid360 together with judges Dr. Esther Luzzatto, CEO of The Luzzatto Group, Tamar Luzzatto, Head of Business Development, Marketing and Innovation of The Luzzatto Group and Dr. Gili Bittan-Banin Head of Innovation at Bazan Group

A Community called home

Mediterranean Towers Jerusalem

Samsung prepares an extra-wide foldable Galaxy Z Wide Fold on the way

Animations from One UI 9 reveal for the first time the Galaxy Z Wide Fold – a new wide foldable that Samsung may launch as early as this coming summer alongside the Fold 8 and the Flip 8.

Preparing for the inevitable: The venture fund built on crisis and chaos

INTERVIEW
Galaxy Z Fold 7
OPINION

India AI Impact Summit 2026: Shaping a human-centric future for AI

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the gathering at AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India February 19, 2026.
ByPRIME MINISTER OF INDIA NARENDRA MODI

Elon Musk says Tesla's new 'affordable' Cybertruck will only be available for 10 days

New Tesla Cybertruck 2026.
REPORT

OpenAI banned Canadian mass shooter for gun violence prompts before Tumbler Ridge attack

Wild storm in New Zealand disrupts flights, thousands without power

Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, roads, and power supply across New Zealand’s North Island, leaving tens of thousands without electricity.

Two women declared dead after suspected oxygen suit failures at Ashdod oil refinery

An Air New Zealand Boeing 787 at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, pictured in 2018; illustrative.

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv become the most polluted major cities in the world from dust, urban emissions

A jellyfish is seen near a boat by the coast of Haifa at the Mediterranean sea, Israel July 25, 2022.

Rare giant phantom jellyfish found near Argentina during early February mission

US military forces boarded the crude oil tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after pursuing it from the Caribbean. The vessel was accused of breaching Washington's blockade on sanctioned vessels traveling to or from Venezuela. February 9, 2026.

Iran’s poorly maintained ‘dark fleet’ poses major risk for oil spill in Mideast

Israel's health services prepare for war amid Iran tensions

Health funds have developed a comprehensive plan to adapt medical services during emergencies, focusing on clinics with proper shelter or proximity to protected areas.

How to open yourself to feedback and personal growth

Meuhedet Health Fund
STUDY

Strength training ‘most effective, healthiest weight-loss strategy for adults’

INTERVIEW

Dr. Ya’akov Chernes on memory, trauma, and the brain’s role in shaping experiences

REVIEW

Glow Glamping: Healing trauma and finding peace in the Galilee

Hinenu at 10 million: 100 lives that tell Israel’s real story

FEATURE

As Israel reaches 10 million citizens amid war, one photographer captures 100 lives that reveal a quieter, more human story.

Emergence of a new Anglo demographic in Israel requires a change of priorities

OPINION
Ortal Pelleg connected to the author through surfing.

Sandy Leigh’s journey from San Antonio to Jerusalem

Sandy Leigh
OPINION

Not a status, but series of moments: What it truly means to become Israeli

A woman picking out produce at a market.
ByELEANOR VON WEISL

Haredi draft bill could trigger 'collapse' of Israel's Right in elections, minister warns

Minister of Immigration and Absorption Ofir Sofer holds a press conference at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, December 1, 2025.

Four buildings, one home: A new way to live in north Tel Aviv

Near Kikar Hamedina, BAIT VEGAG DEVELOPMENT GROUP is launching the “Beyond the Square” collection, six complementary boutique buildings offering a wide mix of apartments, premium-level design.

The grand advantage: High-end within reach

Jabotinsky 137-7 project. Tel Aviv

Head of Kiryat Tivon council on NVIDIA: 'An opportunity that can change the entire North'

BAT YAM, the mini-Tel Aviv that hasn’t quite caught up with itself.

Israel’s real estate map is changing

In Collab
High participation in Israel Lands Authority tenders reflects developers’ confidence in the long-term Israeli real estate market.

High response to Israel Lands Authority tenders: A sign of developers’ confidence in the market

All JPost Conferences   

Jerusalem Post Miami Conference returns, shaping the future together

Miami Summit 2026

Past Event - Building tomorrow, today: Jerusalem Post Washington Conference heads to Capitol Hill

Jerusalem Post Washington Conference

Past Event - The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference - where diplomacy meets the future

Diplomatic Conference, September 2025

Conference   

Women Leaders Summit 2026

Shaping Tomorrow: The Jerusalem Post Women Leaders Summit Returns for 2026

Israel’s Economic Leadership convenes for National Economic Conference

The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference - where diplomacy meets the future

MDA Heroes   

Michaela Berku: "Doing good is the best therapy."

Michaela Berku on volunteering, MDA, and saving lives through service

MDA Women's Circle launches new year with "Adopt a Paramedic" initiative

'I’ll keep showing up': MDA paramedic who saved dozens on Oct 7 recounts 600 days

Podcasts   

Are women's rights in Israel under attack?

How the haredi draft issue puts the status of Israeli women into question

How are Israeli-diaspora tensions shaping current relations?

Iran, Gaza, and Australian politics: Can Netanyahu, Herzog make a diplomatic impact?

US Politics   

US President Donald Trump’s motorcade drives near the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, US, January 10, 2026.

US Secret Service shoots, kills man trespassing at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort

Huckabee fires back at Tucker Carlson after interview descends into Israel-smearing

Huckabee says Israel ruling entire Middle East 'would be fine,' drawing Arab backlash

Diaspora   

CHAYA VOTKIN (left), president of the Jewish Community of Helsinki, poses at the Yael Foundation conference earlier this month.

'There is a future': How Finland’s 850 Jews survive and thrive in the Diaspora

'It's our right to live freely as Jews': Belgian Jewish leader on circumcision bans

A defunct synagogue, reminder of a once-proud community, collapses in Pennsylvania’s coal region

Judaism   

A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in the foreground and the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in the background June 24, 2019

It's time for the Western Wall to be a home for every Jew

Israel must advance permits for egalitarian Western Wall plaza, High Court orders

As Ramadan meets Purim, Jews and Muslims must choose shared humanity over fear

Christian World   

An Orthodox Christian boy holds a crucifix as he attends a service in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Tremors in Washington: The targeted campaign to turn Christians against Israel

Tucker Carlson 'totally wrong' about Christian mistreatment in Israel, NGO founder says

'A world that is ablaze': Pope Leo laments war, environmental destruction, in Ash Wednesday service

Food   

HaPizza, on Tel Aviv’s lively Bograshov Street, has been serving its namesake dish for 20 years in an unassuming but very tasty manner.

Rediscovering HaPizza: Neapolitan pizza and Italian fare in Tel Aviv

In the kitchen with Henny: An international Purim celebration

Wine Talk: The French revolution

Archaeology   

A cat is seen during the excavation and restoration work underway on the exceptional frescoes in the Hall of the Mask and the Peacock, one of the most refined rooms of the Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis, Torre Annunziata, Italy on February 12, 2026.

Frescos of a peacock, fruit discovered in Roman villa near Pomepii belonging to Emperor Nero's wife

New dating of prehistoric site in Jordan rewrites timeline of human migration out of Africa

Ancient maps, scorched books, and survival art: Inside Israel Museum’s winter exhibitions

Science   

NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida (Illustrative).

NASA may roll back Artemis II rocket after helium flow issue, March launch at risk

'Unprofessional behavior': NASA report rips into astronaut-stranding Starliner mission

Cell-based implant offers new hope for diabetes management, Technion study shows

Culture   

Released hostage Daniella Gilboa returning to her home in Petah Tikva, February 5, 2025.

Former hostage Daniella Gilboa celebrates freedom in her debut single

Swiss Eurovision winner's trophy shattered while returning to EBU in protest of Israel

Maccabi Tel Aviv overwhelms Herzliya for State Cup crown

History   

Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds is being awarded a Medal of Honor in 2026 for his bravery in protecting Jewish troops in World War II.

US soldier who protected Jews in POW camp during WWII to be awarded Medal of Honor

How a machzor survived over six centuries and Nazi attacks to make it to Israel

This month in Jewish history: The first permanent government of Israel

OMG   

Floyd Mayweather Jr. greets people at halftime of the championship game of the Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. comes out of retirement after exhibition with Mike Tyson

Leaked security footage debunks Tucker Carlson’s claim of being detained at Ben-Gurion Airport

Users troll RFK's 'Real Food' website, ask Grok chatbot advice on food options for anal insertion

Consumerism   

Project courtesy of Buchhalter Studio for Architecture and Interior Design.

Open skies: How the skylight became the new luxury element in designed homes

Will we get a clamshell iPhone? Apple has not yet made a final decision

Ariston expands the scope of solar collector production in Israel

Sponsored Content

Rabbi Kalman Ber, Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel with Eduard Shyfrin, businessman, mathematician, and Kabbalah scholar

Israel’s Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber visits Monaco Jewish community

Chen G. Schimmel and the demands for truth: A new generation bearing witness

From vision to action

JPost Store   

Ivrit magazine

Read Israel news in easy Hebrew with Ivrit

The Ivrit magazine is for people with basic reading abilities in Hebrew who want to improve their knowledge of the language.
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The International Jerusalem Post, a weekly digest, publishes the best of the Jerusalem Post's news for the readers abroad.