How Trump Decided to Go to War

Mark Mazzetti, Julian E. Barnes, Tyler Pager, Edward Wong, Eric Schmitt, and Ronen Bergman | The New York Times

In public, Mr. Trump appeared to take a circuitous path to military action, alternating between saying that he wanted to strike a deal with Iran’s government and that he wanted to topple it… But behind the scenes, his move toward war grew inexorably, fueled by allies like Mr. Netanyahu who pushed the president to strike a decisive blow against Iran’s theocratic government; and by Mr. Trump’s own confidence after the successful U.S. operation that toppled the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January.

Trump’s Case for War With Iran Faces Growing Scrutiny

Dustin Volz, Alexander Ward, and Lara Seligman | The Wall Street Journal

The Trump administration, in pressing its case for war with Iran, has made a number of accusations about the regime’s threats to its neighbors, U.S. troops, and even the American homeland itself. However, U.S. officials and lawmakers with access to classified information, along with experts who have spent their careers poring over public data and government reports, say the administration’s assertions are incomplete, unsubstantiated, or flat-out wrong.

IAEA confirms entrances to Iran's Natanz enrichment plant were bombed

Reuters / Yahoo

Entrances to Iran's underground and ​previously bombed uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz ‌have been struck as part of the U.S.-Israeli military attacks on the country, the U.N. ​nuclear watchdog confirmed on Tuesday. The underground ​Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) is one of Iran's ⁠three uranium-enrichment plants that are known ​to have been operating when Israel and ​the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June.

France to increase nuclear arsenal and European weapons cooperation, Macron says

Jon Henley | The Guardian

France will increase the size of its nuclear arsenal for the first time in decades and significantly intensify nuclear weapons cooperation with eight European allies including the UK as part of a “major” strengthening of its deterrence doctrine, Emmanuel Macron has said. Amid growing concern among European leaders about wavering US commitments to help defend the continent, the French president said on Monday that Paris could deploy nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets to partner countries such as Germany and Poland.

Poland seeks as much autonomy as possible in terms of nuclear arms, Tusk says

Reuters / Yahoo

Poland wants to be autonomous in the future when ​it comes to a nuclear deterrent, Prime ‌Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, as Europe seeks to build its capabilities independently of the United States. On ​Monday, Tusk announced that Poland is holding talks ​with France and a group of its closest European ⁠allies regarding an advanced nuclear deterrence programme.

China Boosts Output of Advanced Nuclear-Armed Subs, US Navy Says

Anthony Capaccio | Bloomberg

The Chinese Navy has “dramatically increased” submarine production and could soon deploy a new vessel that’s able to hit “large portions” of the US with nuclear missiles from Chinese waters, according to the head of intelligence for the US Navy. Two new Chinese submarines called the Type 095 and Type 096 are “expected to enter service during the late 2020s through 2030s,” the director of naval intelligence, Rear Admiral Mike Brookes, said in a statement to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission for a hearing set for Monday.

North Korea has finished new facility at nuclear complex, watchdog says

Shreyas Reddy | NK News

North Korea has completed external construction of a new facility at its main nuclear research center in Yongbyon, according to the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, while continuing to operate its nuclear reactors in support of uranium enrichment. In a statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on Monday, Director-General Rafael Grossi said the agency is continuing to monitor development of the new building at Yongbyon with similar dimensions to a uranium enrichment facility at Kangson.