As he weighs a potential military strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, President Trump has asked U.S. law enforcement agencies to ramp up their surveillance of suspected Iranian operatives inside the country. The heightened scrutiny follows Israel’s sweeping Operation Rising Lion earlier this month, which targeted key Iranian military and nuclear assets.
Sources told CBS News that FBI Director Kash Patel has made counterintelligence operations involving Hezbollah-linked networks a top priority. The Lebanese-based organization—designated by the U.S. government as a foreign terrorist group and widely recognized as a proxy of Iran—has long been considered a domestic threat. While the FBI and White House have declined to comment, national security officials confirm that monitoring efforts have significantly expanded in recent weeks.
U.S. intelligence concerns about Iranian plots on American soil date back at least to the January 2020 targeted killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, in a drone strike ordered by President Trump. That high-stakes operation galvanized Tehran’s covert retaliation strategy, prompting federal agencies to dedicate considerable resources to thwarting possible retribution.
Just last year, federal prosecutors charged an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) member and two U.S.-based individuals with conspiring to assassinate critics, including a foiled plot allegedly targeting Trump himself. Other notable incidents include charges against individuals seeking to kill former National Security Adviser John Bolton and Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad, both outspoken opponents of the Iranian regime. Bolton, who received Secret Service protection in 2021 due to credible threats, later saw those safeguards rescinded during the Trump administration.
At the center of current deliberations is Iran’s Fordo enrichment site—an underground uranium facility believed to be central to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Trump is reportedly considering whether to authorize precision strikes on such targets, in coordination with Israel’s broader military objectives. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that the former president will make a decision within the next two weeks, though diplomatic overtures remain on the table.
President Trump will make a decision about whether or not to strike Iran within the next two weeks, according to the White House. pic.twitter.com/9vG76pqSiu
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) June 19, 2025
Iranian officials have promised a “firm response” should the U.S. proceed with military action, raising fears of asymmetric retaliation.
