Tucker Carlson warns of possible US nuclear strike on Iran within days

US media personality Tucker Carlson has warned that President Donald Trump's administration could be just days away from launching a nuclear strike against Iran, under pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Carlson suggested Trump may make his decision by November 7.

In a lengthy post on X that has garnered over 20 million views, Carlson claimed the target would be "Mount Beikak" in central Iran, where Israeli intelligence alleges the Iranian government has resumed uranium enrichment. He argued that "no conventional weapon in the US arsenal can penetrate 300 feet of solid granite to destroy the tunnels believed to house enrichment operations, so the only military option is a nuclear strike."

Carlson asserted that Netanyahu is pushing hard for the strike, quoting "a well-informed observer" as saying: "Bibi calls Trump about this every day."

Netanyahu 'cornered and desperate'

Carlson described Netanyahu as "cornered and desperate," explaining that after last week's Israeli election results, he cannot form a government unless Trump directly intervenes in Israeli politics and brokers a deal with other parties to secure 61 Knesset seats. "Otherwise, he will lose his position, face a humiliating political end, investigations, and possibly prison," Carlson said.

He added: "That's why Netanyahu must maintain his close relationship with Trump... He needs this war."

Carlson claimed Netanyahu has exerted maximum pressure on his closest allies within the US administration, including Minister of War Pete Hegseth and US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, saying both oppose a negotiated settlement to a war they have "grossly mismanaged" and are pushing for a resumption of major combat operations.

He added that Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe are "following Netanyahu's lead," as are Democratic Party leaders. Carlson noted that former President Barack Obama recently said in a meeting he opposes the current peace deal with Iran being negotiated in Doha.

Gulf states fear new war

Carlson said other traditional US allies in the Middle East are worried about the prospect of a new war, claiming Netanyahu secretly traveled to Abu Dhabi on September 27 to persuade the UAE to join his efforts to push for a final attack on Iran, "but the Emiratis refused."

He added that after eight months of conflict, Gulf economies and global energy and fertilizer markets are "on the brink of collapse," noting that 11 out of about 850 supertankers worldwide suffered severe damage in the Strait of Hormuz in October alone. "If this continues, a global economic depression is imminent," he said.

Carlson warned that a nuclear strike "would radically accelerate the destruction," as radioactive fallout from a ground nuclear explosion at Mount Beikak would contaminate the Arabian Gulf and poison water sources relied on by 100 million people.

'World War III inevitable'

Carlson said the United States is the only country to have used nuclear weapons in war, and that a US nuclear attack on Iran would set a new precedent. He claimed Russia has told at least two other governments that a US nuclear strike on Iran would give it license to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

He added that Pakistan and India could be tempted to use nuclear weapons against each other, as could North Korea against Seoul, stressing that "after the first nuclear strike, World War III will be inevitable, and it will be short and final."

Carlson noted that since February, the US administration has quietly revised its nuclear doctrine to facilitate the first use of so-called "tactical nuclear weapons" on the battlefield, adding: "No one in Washington, from either party, seems concerned about this."

Decision expected by November 7

Carlson cited "well-informed observers" as saying Trump will likely decide by November 7 whether to use nuclear weapons, adding: "To Trump's credit, he remains hesitant," and that he is currently listening to his deputy JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkof, "who both insist a deal with Iran is possible... and they are right, though it will not be easy."

He explained that Iranians are "notoriously difficult to negotiate with," and that some factions within the Iranian government have become more hardline since the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and members of his family in February. However, people who have spoken with Iranian decision-makers say there is consensus that continuing the war would harm everyone, and that a deal is worth pursuing.

Carlson concluded his post by calling on people worldwide to raise their voices, saying "hundreds of millions of people and their children will be killed if Netanyahu pushes Trump to launch a nuclear strike next week."

There has been no comment from the White House, Pentagon, or the Israeli Prime Minister's Office regarding the post.