US could strike Iran within 24 hours, Tehran ready to respond: What’s happening

Reuters, citing two European officials, reported that a US military intervention in Iran appears likely. One of them said the attack could take place within the next 24 hours.

Moreover, according to the Daily Mail, the White House has received a dossier of 50 military targets, including the exact coordinates of the IRGC headquarters in Tehran and 23 IRGC-Basij bases (a paramilitary organization). Among them:

• The Quds subheadquarters, responsible for suppressing protests in northern and northwestern Tehran;

• The Fath subheadquarters in southwestern Tehran;

• The Nasr subheadquarters in the northeast of the Iranian capital;

• The Ghadr subheadquarters, controlling southeastern and central districts of Tehran.

Earlier, the administration of US President Donald Trump had approached European countries for intelligence on targets within Iran.

Trump stated that he is considering several very tough options regarding Tehran. According to media reports, Washington has warned its Middle Eastern allies to be prepared for possible US strikes on Iran.

Four possible scenarios

The Telegraph has outlined four scenarios for Trump’s potential intervention in Iran:

• A limited symbolic strike after Trump’s pledge to respond if protests in Iran are violently suppressed;

• A large-scale bombing campaign;

• The most radical option, involving the kidnapping or killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei;

• Large-scale cyberattacks to paralyze Iran’s state communications, as well as ensuring stable internet access for the population via Starlink terminals.

Earlier, the administration of US President Donald Trump had reached out to European countries for intelligence on targets within Iran.

Trump stated that he is considering several very tough options regarding Tehran. According to media reports, Washington has warned its allies in the Middle East to be prepared for potential US strikes on Iran.

Iran threatens to respond

Iran has warned neighboring countries hosting US troops that it will strike US bases in the event of an American attack, Reuters reported, citing a senior Iranian official. In response, the US has decided to withdraw part of its personnel from bases in the Middle East.

Troops from Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar are already being relocated to other facilities and hotels in the region.

Al-Udeid is the largest US base in the Middle East, home to around 10,000 service members. Ahead of US airstrikes on Iran in June, part of the personnel had already been withdrawn from American bases in the region.

Updated: Britain is also evacuating military personnel from its base in Qatar amid the situation in Iran, according to I Paper.

What led up to this

Since late December 2025, massive protests have been taking place in Iran, escalating into serious clashes. It all began on December 28, when merchants from Tehran’s central city market took to the streets to protest the sharp decline in the national currency.

Students and other segments of the population soon joined the demonstrations, along with a rather unexpected group—those who had once been considered supporters of the regime.

The Iranian regime responded with extreme force, using live ammunition, special equipment, beatings, and mass arrests. US President Donald Trump, in turn, reacted sharply to Iran’s repression of its own people.

RBC-Ukraine reported that Trump publicly urged Iranians to continue anti-government protests, "take over institutions," and stated that help for the protesters was "already on the way." After initial reports of casualties, Trump declared that Iran was "crossing" his "red line."

The US State Department has suspended visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries, including Russia and Iran.