Trump Orders Military Planning as Tensions Escalate with Iran
US President Donald Trump's administration has issued a security alert for American citizens in the Middle East amid escalating tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran.
The US Embassy in Jordan warned its citizens to be prepared for any disruption in light of increasing tensions in the region, stating that the security situation could change without prior warning.
Tehran has reportedly prepared an 'extensive' plan to respond if the US or Israel attacks its infrastructure, with a senior security official quoted as saying the plan was made after recent US media reports claimed that the US and Israel could carry out strikes on Iranian infrastructure.
US officials have stated that there will be continued military pressure on Iran unless talks get underway soon, with President Trump reportedly ordering the military to plan further strikes on Iranian positions that can begin as early as this weekend.
The crisis has already begun to influence international markets, with the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil briefly surpassing $86 per barrel due to worries about possible interruptions in energy supplies from the Middle East.