Possible next steps for US include military strikes, sanctions and cyber attacks – key US politics stories from 11 January
Donald Trump is weighing up his options for responding to protests in Iran, as deaths mount in a crackdown on demonstrations against the regime in Tehran.
Possible actions for the US include military strikes, deploying secretive cyber weapons against Iranian military and civilian sites, placing more sanctions on Iran’s government and boosting anti-government sources online, sources say.
But military strikes will be fraught with difficulties, and could fuel the fire of an Iranian government narrative that the protests are being manipulated by the US and Israel. Tehran’s population density means it is hard to mount a targeted campaign from the air without risking many civilian casualties; and key potential US targets – such as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – have upped their personal security precautions.
Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to intervene, posted on social media on Saturday: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!
