The world is frozen in anticipation of the largest military clash of the decade: the United States has come close to the brink of direct military intervention in the Islamic Republic. Reuters reports, citing senior European officials, that an American attack on Iranian targets could be carried out within the next 24 hours. These reports are confirmed by Israeli sources, who claim Donald Trump has made a fundamental decision to resort to force, despite the uncertainty of the planned operation's scale. In response to these reports, Polymarket, the leading forecasting platform, has recorded a sharp jump in the probability of a strike by the end of January—it now stands at a record 80%. The White House has effectively suspended all diplomatic contacts with Tehran, making it clear that the time for negotiations is over and Washington intends to act harshly.

The sharp escalation is occurring amid ongoing mass protests within Iran, which Trump has promised to support "in various forms." However, Moscow and other international observers are warning that, under the guise of aiding the demonstrators, the US is preparing an operation capable of plunging the entire Middle East into chaos. Unlike in previous years, the current US military targets may include not nuclear facilities, but command centers and headquarters of security forces responsible for suppressing the unrest. Tehran has already responded to these threats with the utmost severity, placing its missile forces on full combat alert and warning US allies in the region of imminent retaliation. With the clock ticking, any spark could ignite the situation, turning a local standoff into a global conflict with unpredictable consequences for global stability.