It is impossible for anyone outside the highest levels of the White House and Pentagon to know whether a massive attack on Iran will begin within the next 72 hours.
But something is clearly happening.
The evidence is no longer based merely on anonymous social-media accounts tracking aircraft or interpreting unusual military movements. President Donald Trump has publicly confirmed that he is close to deciding whether to launch an attack on Iran that could be “bigger than ever before.” American and Israeli officials have reportedly said expanded combat operations could begin within days.
Trump has also declared that the United States will attack Iran’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain facility “very soon.” The underground complex near Natanz is believed by Israeli intelligence to contain thousands of centrifuges moved into tunnels hundreds of feet beneath the mountain.
These are not vague warnings about unspecified future consequences. They are descriptions of targets, weapons and operations that appear to be under active consideration.