18 January 2026

CNA Explains: What a US intervention in Iran could look like as Trump considers options

Chelsea Ong

As Iran's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests continues, US President Donald Trump faces a delicate moment as he weighs how best to respond.

The US military is considering "very strong options" against Iran, Trump said on Sunday (Jan 11), adding that it "looks like" Tehran had crossed his previously stated red line of protesters being killed.

More than 600 people have been killed, according to a rights group on Jan 12.

The mass protests in all of Iran's 31 provinces, triggered by an economic collapse, pose the biggest threat to the rulers of the Islamic Republic in decades.

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