Image Credentials: Image Title: US Intelligence Warns of Imminent Proxy Attacks as Trump Hardens Stance on Tehran Source: (sora.openai) Date: March 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (sora.openai) and does not depict a real-world scene.
OPEN CHRONICLE | “The Truth in Every Detail”
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
WASHINGTON D.C. — In a chilling assessment of the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East, a New York Times report published on February 22, 2026, revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies have detected “high-confidence” indicators of imminent retaliatory strikes by Iranian proxy groups. The warning comes as President Donald Trump reportedly finalizes plans for a “limited but devastating” military intervention designed to force regime change in Tehran.
The report, citing sources familiar with the Trump administration’s internal deliberations, suggests that the White House has shifted its strategy from diplomatic “maximum pressure” to active military preparation.
The Proxy Threat
Intelligence officials have identified a coordinated effort by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to activate “sleeper cells” and militia networks across the Middle East and Europe. Specifically, the Times notes:
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Targeting American Assets: U.S. naval bases in Bahrain and logistics hubs in the UAE are at “extreme risk” of drone and missile saturation.
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Retaliation for Leadership Threats: Following documented Iranian plots to assassinate U.S. officials—including recent threats against President Trump himself, the administration has signaled that it will hold Tehran directly responsible for any actions taken by its “proxies” like Hezbollah or the Houthis.
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The “Martyr” Protocol: U.S. officials believe Tehran has already authorized regional commanders to launch independent strikes if communication with the central leadership is severed.
Trump’s “Epic Fury” Strategy
President Trump, who recently referred to his approach to Iran as “Paz através da Força” (Peace through Strength), is reportedly leaning toward a surgical strike on Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure. According to the New York Times, the President has been presented with an expanded menu of military options, ranging from commando raids on the Fordow enrichment plant to a massive air campaign targeting the Iranian leadership.
“They want to kill me, they want to destroy our country,” Trump reportedly told aides during a briefing at Mar-a-Lago last week. “If they try anything, there will be nothing left of them. It will be the end.”
A Region on the Brink
The February 22 report coincided with a breakdown in nuclear negotiations in Geneva. While Iranian officials allegedly signaled a willingness to limit uranium stockpiles, they flatly refused U.S. demands to dismantle their ballistic missile program or abandon their regional proxies, the very groups now poised for attack.
As the U.S. continues to amass a formidable naval presence in the Persian Gulf, the world watches the “Astara” border and other exit points where expatriates are already beginning to flee, sensing that the four-decade-long cold war between Washington and Tehran is about to turn catastrophically hot.