US Military Action Against Iran Could Come Within ‘Next 24 Hours’, European Officials Say: Report

Last Updated:January 14, 2026, 23:08 IST

The warnings have intensified following reports that 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, detained last week, was due to be executed.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump

Military intervention by the United States against Iran appears increasingly likely, with one European official telling Reuters that action could come within the next 24 hours. The assessment comes as US President Donald Trump warned Iran that Washington would take “very strong action" if authorities proceed with executing detained protesters. Human rights groups said that more than 2,400 demonstrators have been killed since unrest erupted across the country late last month.

Two European officials told Reuters that preparations for US military intervention seemed to be under way, though they cautioned that the situation remained fluid and dependent on developments on the ground.

The warnings have intensified following reports that 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, detained last week, was due to be executed. His relatives said that an Iranian court issued a death sentence in what they described as an “extremely rapid" process, completed within just two days. It remains unclear whether the execution has taken place.

Trump Signals Readiness To Act

Speaking to CBS News, Donald Trump said of possible executions, “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things… We will take very strong action if they do such a thing."

Donald Trump said he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and planned discussions at the White House to determine “accurate numbers" on the death toll.

“Once we have the numbers, we’ll act accordingly," he said while urging Iranians to “keep protesting" and warned Tehran it would “pay a big price" for the killings. He has also announced 25% tariffs on any country trading with Iran.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it has confirmed the deaths of at least 2,403 protesters, including 12 children, despite severe communication blackouts. Nearly 150 people affiliated with the government have also been killed, the group said.

Iranian officials have disputed the figures as one official told Reuters that around 2,000 people had died, blaming “terrorists" for the violence. Protests in Iran have reportedly spread to 180 cities and towns across all 31 provinces, triggered initially by economic anger over the collapse of the currency and soaring living costs, before expanding into broader demands for political change. The unrest represents one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran’s government accused the United States of attempting to “manufacture a pretext for military intervention", warning that such efforts had failed in the past.

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