Two Tracks, One War: Trump’s Iran Decision Unfolded

Axios reports that over two months Trump pursued parallel paths—secret diplomacy aimed at a quick Iran deal and a covert U.S.-Israeli buildup for a military strike—before deciding on war. The piece outlines three hard gaps (nuclear enrichment, ballistic missiles, and financing of proxies), notes stalled Geneva talks, and describes a Saturday operation that struck Tehran’s leadership, including Ayatollah Khamenei, in what officials call the largest Israeli airstrike to date. The account relies on U.S. and allied officials and cannot be independently verified.