“Originally prepared for publication on March 28, 2026, this article was revised on April 9, 2026, to incorporate additional material from Source 2 (made available April 8, 2026). It is republished here on April 11, 2026.” Summary in Seconds: How Trump Took the U.S. to War With Iran • In a series of Situation Room meetings, President Trump weighed his instincts against the deep concerns of his vice president and a pessimistic intelligence assessment. Here’s the inside story of how he made the fateful decision. Everything started quietly—behind closed doors. On the morning of February 11, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu