Trump says US can destroy Iran's remaining nuclear sites within 10 minutes if attacked

Tension in the Middle East has peaked once again. US President Donald Trump has given clear signs of renewed tough military action against Iran. His remarks come as the United States heads towards midterm elections, and have stirred international politics.

Speaking to the media at his private residence in Florida on Saturday, Trump spoke about American military readiness. "We have destroyed several key nuclear sites of Iran in earlier actions. But one or two such sites are still left in Iran, and we are keeping a constant watch on them. If Iran tries to attack the US or our friends in any way, we can fire missiles and finish off those sites completely within just 10 minutes," he said.

Trump specifically mentioned Iran's well-known underground nuclear site called Pickaxe Mountain. According to him, the US military is watching every movement at the site. Asked by reporters whether the US was about to launch a fresh attack on Iran this week, Trump sidestepped the question. He acknowledged that diplomatic talks with Iran were under way, but said plainly that Iran's stance could not be fully trusted.

In Iran, too, activity in the power structure and the military has picked up. After the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli military action, his son Mojtaba Khamenei has taken charge. On assuming command, he called an urgent meeting of senior military officers.

At the meeting, Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran should not be afraid of American threats and ordered the military to be fully prepared. He made it clear that any provocative act by the enemy must be answered without losing a moment, without hesitation and with full force.

Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly directed the Revolutionary Guards and military commanders to draw up a new target list of all key military, economic and strategic assets linked to the US and the "Zionist enemy" (Israel). The list includes direct and indirect targets of the US and Israel.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the President has not yet taken a final decision on a new attack. He added, however, that the US military is fully capable of completing its missions. The US has also alleged that Iran is openly attacking international sea routes and merchant ships.

With Trump saying the military option remains open, and Iran said to have completed preparations to target US and Israeli sites directly, there are serious fears of a bigger confrontation in the Middle East in the coming days.