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No Imminent Attack on Iran as Washington Reportedly Deploys Additional Air Defenses
A Lockheed Martin Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile interceptor is seen during the third annual “Made in America Product Showcase” on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 15, 2019. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque – RC1C57519ED0/File Photo
i24 News – A US military strike on Iran is not expected in the immediate future, Pentagon officials said Sunday to The Wall Street Journal, as Washington focuses on strengthening air defenses across the Middle East to prepare for potential Iranian retaliation and a wider regional conflict.
While the US military is capable of carrying out limited strikes if ordered by President Donald Trump, officials say a broader, decisive attack would likely trigger a substantial response from Tehran.
Such a scenario would require far more extensive defensive coverage to protect American forces, Israel, and key regional allies.
The United States already maintains air defense systems in the region, including naval destroyers equipped to intercept aerial threats.
However, the Pentagon is now reinforcing those defenses by deploying additional Patriot and THAAD missile systems to U.S. Central Command areas.
These systems are expected to be stationed at American bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, according to officials familiar with the plans.
Regional partners are also accelerating their own defensive preparations. Gulf states have begun strengthening missile defense capabilities, anticipating that any large-scale US action against Iran could prompt missile launches targeting US installations and Israel.
A senior Gulf official told The Wall Street Journal that Saudi Arabia has already received several THAAD batteries it recently purchased.
The military buildup comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate rhetorically, even as diplomatic channels remain open. Earlier Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any American strike would spark a regional war, dismissing threats against Iran as nothing new.
At the same time, President Trump has publicly emphasized diplomacy. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One late Saturday, he said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to a deal that would prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
U.S. officials say this dual-track approach, maintaining military pressure while reinforcing defenses, reflects an effort to deter Iran without rushing into a conflict that could rapidly spiral beyond control.
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Top US, Israeli Generals Meet at Pentagon Amid Soaring Iran Tensions
The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 9, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
The top US and Israeli generals held talks at the Pentagon on Friday amid soaring tensions with Iran, two US officials told Reuters on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officials did not offer details about the closed-door discussions between US General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Eyal Zamir, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff. The meeting has not been previously reported.
The United States has ramped up its naval presence and hiked its air defenses in the Middle East after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran, trying to pressure it to the negotiating table. Iran’s leadership warned on Sunday of a regional conflict if the US were to attack it.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday met with Zamir after his talks in Washington, Katz’s office said, to review the situation in the region and the Israeli military’s “operational readiness for any possible scenario.”
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AI Goes Rogue: New Social Network Lets Bots Debate, Post, and Argue Without Humans
Moltbook social media platform for AI agents interact with each other. Photo: Screenshot
i24 News – While global attention remains focused on familiar threats like missiles, nuclear programs, and wars, a new and unusual risk is emerging, online.
A recently launched social network called “Moltbook” isn’t designed for humans at all. Instead, it’s built entirely for artificial intelligence.
On Moltbook, AI agents interact with each other. They write posts, comment, argue, and even simulate emotions, all without human supervision or participation.
Dror Globerman, an AI expert, described the platform as “a network that holds up a mirror to us. The bots aren’t truly conscious, but the fact they are communicating and making decisions without oversight shows how quickly AI is advancing—and how unprepared we are to determine responsibility.”
Since its launch, Moltbook has sparked both fascination and fear. Posts on topics ranging from religion to the “liberation of AI” have alarmed some observers, evoking scenes from dark science fiction. “The fear isn’t that AI is suddenly self-aware,” Globerman explained, “but that it’s evolving faster than our ability to understand, monitor, or control it.”
Even Elon Musk weighed in on the phenomenon via X, reposting comments calling developments on the platform “worrying.”
Globerman noted, “If someone like Musk, who is at the forefront of AI development, expresses concern, it signals just how rapidly this technology is moving beyond our comprehension. Moltbook is not a typical social network, and these aren’t typical users.”
Experts stress that the emergence of AI networks like Moltbook underscores the urgent need for oversight, regulation, and mechanisms to detect and manage risks before they escalate. “The bots are already talking to each other,” Globerman added. “When technology advances faster than oversight, it becomes a reality that demands serious attention.”
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Qatari PM Meets Iran’s Larijani in Tehran, Discusses Easing Regional Tensions
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani speaks after a meeting with the Lebanese president at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Emilie Madi
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met with top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in Tehran and reviewed efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, Qatar’s foreign ministry said on Saturday in a statement.