Donald Trump urged to 'nuke Iran' as leader Khamenei 'fearing assassination'

A close ally of US President Donald Trump has said tactical nuclear weapons may be the only way to destroy Tehran's nuclear programme. The comments come as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is understood to have taken measures to increase his security amid threats from the US leader.

On Thursday, Trump confirmed that he would make a decision on military action in Iran in two weeks, following meetings with senior defence chiefs. Israeli officials are believed to be urging the United States to aid its efforts to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, which Tel Aviv claims is close to reaching maturity. The Israeli Defence Force has killed several key figures within Tehran's nuclear programme and destroyed numerous sites, but lacks the ability to penetrate the country's most important sites, located miles underground.

To have a realistic chance of destroying such sites, Israel is reliant on the use of America's so-called "bunker buster" bombs, but one insider has gone one step further by urging Trump to use a tactical nuclear weapon.

Tactical nuclear weapons are more precise and impact a smaller surface area than strategic nuclear weapons such as those used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War Two.

One official told the Daily Mail: "The nuclear warhead has to happen, whether it's the first strike, second strike or 17th strike... given the location, from what I've read and for what I've seen, it's a difficult spot.

"In order to be successful with the least amount of casualties, and to be able to get that target and do what we want to do, which is destroy them, it would have to involve a nuclear warhead.'

"Our bombers are the only ones that could get in there."

When approached for comment, the Pentagon referred to comments made by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

He said: "Over the weekend, I directed the deployment of additional capabilities to the United States Central Command Area of Responsibility.

"Protecting US forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region."

Following meetings in the White House by senior defence chiefs, the Trump administration said that all options remained on the table although it is unknown if the use of nuclear warheads was discussed.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any US strike on his country would be met with 'irreparable consequences', while Russia has said that the use of a nuclear weapon would be a catastrophic development.