Iran has been offline for over 12 hours, internet observatory says

As US President Trump appeared poised to attack Iran, top Senate Democrats have issued a joint statement accusing the administration of “a lack of preparation, strategy, and clearly defined objectives”.

“Congress is an equal partner in preserving and defending U.S. national security around the world, and Congress has not provided authorization for military action against Iran — we will not rubberstamp military intervention that puts the United States at risk,” five senior Democratic senators wrote.

They comprised Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Chris Coons, Mark Warner, Jack Reed and Patty Murray.

“The United States cannot sleepwalk into a third war in as many decades,” they added.

“By law, the president must consult Congress and seek authorization if he is considering taking the country to war," the senators wrote. "He owes Congress and the American people a strategy for U.S. engagement in the region."

“We need a clear, detailed plan outlining the goals, risks, cost, and timeline for any proposed mission."

Hawkish US Senator Lindsay Graham urged President Trump to attack Iran and target its Fordow underground nuclear facility in a post on X on Wednesday, saying Tehran posed an existential threat to Israel and the United States.

The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning to the residents of portions of Arak and Khondab in central Iran, home to a heavy water reactor facility.

US President Donald Trump is preparing plans to potentially attack Iran in the coming days, Bloomberg cited senior US officials as saying, possibly over the weekend.

The situation was fluid and could change, Bloomberg reported, adding that leaders at some federal agencies were preparing for the possibility of the potential attack.