Libby Alon, Channel 14's US correspondent, reports that President Donald Trump has adopted a new approach in the war against Iran, aiming to 'strangle them over time,' according to a Channel 14 report. The statement reflects a reported shift from rapid strikes to a sustained pressure campaign.
Channel 14’s US correspondent Libby Alon reported on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s new objective in the war against Iran is to “strangle them over time,” according to the channel. The language echoes a characterization that first emerged in CNN’s Tuesday evening report, in which a senior US official stated that Trump had ordered a halt to talks and shifted to a “strangle over time” approach.
The thread of reports began on Tuesday, August 18, at 19:59 Jerusalem, when CNN cited a senior US official confirming that Trump had ordered senior envoys to cease ongoing talks with Iran. That report was quickly followed by i24NEWS journalist Amichai Stein, who reported that Trump had shifted from rapid military strikes to a long-term economic pressure campaign. Abu Ali Express, citing CNN, reported the same strategic pivot, and The Zioneer’s own bulletin at that time clarified that the halt applied across all diplomatic channels. The sourcing thus evolved from a single official on CNN to corroborating reports from multiple news outlets within the same hour.
As The Zioneer has reported previously, Trump’s threat posture has fluctuated between talk of a “massive attack” (N12 interview, July 23) and an administration strategy described as “powerful but short” military action aimed at forcing a deal (June 10). The “strangle over time” phrase aligns with the latter, emphasizing sustained economic and military pressure rather than immediate escalation.
It remains unclear whether Alon was quoting specific administration sources or offering an assessment based on the earlier reports. Her report adds no new on-the-record confirmation beyond what CNN established on Tuesday.
5 developments
- DevelopingAnalyst: Trump shifting to 'negotiating under fire' method with Iran
- DevelopingChannel 14: Trump returns to attacking Iran strongly after 6-day pause
- DevelopingTrump Examining How to Intensify Strikes on Iran, Source Tells i24NEWS
- DevelopingNoam Amir (Channel 14) questions whether Trump seeks to compel Iran talks via military threats
Source and signal
- Open-source intake