Donald Trump doubled down on threats against Iran Sunday, warning that time was running out for Tehran to meet US demands or face total destruction. His post on Truth Social read: ‘For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!’ The warning came as US-Israel strikes on Iran entered their third week, following a February 28 joint attack that Israel said was retaliation for an Iranian missile strike on Israeli territory. Trump’s Sunday message was the latest in a series of aggressive posts targeting Iran as negotiations to end the conflict stall. Just 24 hours earlier, he posted an AI-generated image of himself standing on the deck of a US Navy aircraft carrier labeled ‘It was the calm before the storm.’ The strikes have failed to force Iran’s surrender despite Trump’s stated goals: dismantling Iran’s missile arsenal, cutting ties with regional allies like Hezbollah and Hamas, and ending its nuclear enrichment program. Analysts say Iran’s leadership has shown no sign of backing down, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling the strikes ‘desperate and doomed’ in a televised address Saturday. The conflict began escalating in early February when Israel accused Iran of supplying missiles to Hezbollah for a February 19 attack on the Golan Heights that killed 12 Israeli soldiers. Iran denied involvement but vowed ‘severe retaliation,’ which came February 25 in the form of a massive missile barrage targeting Israeli military sites. Israel responded with a coordinated strike involving warplanes, drones, and naval assets, with the US providing intelligence and logistical support under Trump’s direction. The White House has framed the campaign as necessary to ‘eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat and regional aggression,’ but critics argue the strikes have only hardened Iranian resolve. ‘The more we bomb, the more they dig in,’ said Trita Parsi, founder of the National Iranian American Council. ‘Trump thinks pressure will break them, but it’s making them stronger.’ The strikes have also drawn international condemnation, with China and Russia calling for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations. Even traditional US allies like France and Germany have distanced themselves, urging restraint. Inside Iran, public anger over the strikes has fueled nationalist sentiment, with crowds filling the streets of Tehran chanting ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ in mass rallies. State media has framed the conflict as a ‘holy war’ against foreign aggression, with the Revolutionary Guard vowing to ‘crush’ any further attacks. The humanitarian toll is mounting, with reports of civilian casualties in both countries and thousands displaced by the fighting. Hospitals in Damascus and Beirut are overwhelmed, and aid groups warn of a growing refugee crisis. The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a resolution demanding an immediate halt to hostilities, but it’s unclear if either side will comply. Trump’s threats and the stalled talks suggest the conflict could drag on for weeks or months, with no clear path to peace. What happens next depends on whether Iran backs down or whether Trump authorizes a larger military escalation. Either way, the region is bracing for more bloodshed.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Al Jazeera
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 20:16 UTC
  • Category: World
  • Topics: #aljazeera · #world-news · #middle-east · #war · #weapons · #military

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O ex-presidente dos Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, mais uma vez escalou o tom contra o Irã ao afirmar que “nada restará” do país caso as negociações paralisadas fracassem, enquanto Washington e Israel intensificam ataques recentes que começaram em 28 de fevereiro. A advertência, feita em meio a uma crise diplomática cada vez mais tensa, reacende temores globais de um confronto armado aberto na região, com potenciais consequências para todo o Oriente Médio — e, por tabela, para o Brasil e a comunidade lusófona.

Para o Brasil e os países de língua portuguesa, o agravamento da tensão entre EUA, Israel e Irã não é mera questão geopolítica distante. O aumento dos preços do petróleo, a instabilidade nos mercados financeiros e o risco de um conflito prolongado podem impactar diretamente a economia brasileira, que depende das importações de energia e mantém laços comerciais relevantes com nações do Golfo Pérsico. Além disso, a diáspora brasileira no Oriente Médio — especialmente em países como o Líbano — pode ser afetada por um eventual alastramento da violência, exigindo atenção consular e humanitária urgente por parte do governo federal.

A escalada de retórica e ações militares deixa claro que o impasse está longe de ser resolvido e que a comunidade internacional precisa agir rapidamente para evitar um desastre humanitário e econômico de proporções ainda maiores.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

El expresidente estadounidense Donald Trump lanzó una advertencia escalofriante a Irán al declarar que “no quedará nada” si las negociaciones en punto muerto llegan a su fin. Las tensiones alcanzaron un nuevo pico tras los bombardeos conjuntos de Estados Unidos e Israel contra instalaciones iraníes a finales de febrero, mientras Trump exige, sin ambigüedades, que Teherán desmantele tanto su programa nuclear como su arsenal de misiles.

La retórica belicosa no solo reaviva el fantasma de un conflicto en Oriente Medio, sino que sitúa a Irán en el centro de una crisis diplomática con repercusiones globales. Para los hispanohablantes, especialmente en América Latina —región con históricas tensiones geopolíticas—, el escenario evoca ecos de crisis pasadas, como la de los misiles en Cuba, y plantea interrogantes sobre la estabilidad energética y económica. La escalada amenaza con desestabilizar mercados clave, desde el petróleo hasta el comercio marítimo, mientras la comunidad internacional observa con preocupación cómo se resuelve una pugna donde la línea entre la negociación y el enfrentamiento cada vez parece más delgada.