The Trump administration is actively considering military strikes against Iran as anti-government protests sweep the country, leaving nearly 500 protesters dead according to verified reports—with sources telling the BBC the actual death toll could be “much higher.”

“We may have to act before a meeting,” Trump said Sunday, claiming Iranian officials had called him “to negotiate” while his military brass briefed him on “very strong options.”

WHAT’S GOING ON: Iran is experiencing its largest protests since the 2022 uprising that followed Mahsa Amini’s death in custody.

What started as anger over the plummeting Iranian currency has exploded into a full-blown crisis of legitimacy for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. At least 10,600 people have been detained in two weeks. The BBC counted 180 body bags in footage from a morgue near Tehran, with one source describing streets “full of blood” and bodies being “taken away in trucks.”

The Iranian government has responded by calling protesters a “bunch of vandals” and warning that anyone demonstrating would be considered an “enemy of God”—an offense carrying the death penalty.

THE DETAILS: A US official told CBS that Trump has been briefed on military strike options. Other approaches on the table include cyber-attacks against Iran’s military, boosting anti-government voices online, or piling on more sanctions. Trump also said he’d talk to Elon Musk about using Starlink to restore internet access after Iran imposed a nationwide blackout Thursday.

Sources report drones flying persistently over crowds and neighborhoods to identify protesters, while city workers remove debris, burned cars, and bloodstains from streets under cover of night. Some bodies were reportedly buried before dawn by authorities to prevent identification.

BUT BUT BUT: Iran’s parliament speaker warned the US not to make a “miscalculation,” threatening that any American attack would make Israeli and US military bases and shipping in the region “legitimate targets.” Tehran is blaming the US and Israel for “fomenting unrest” and has announced three days of mourning for security personnel killed in what it calls a “national battle.”

WHY IT MATTERS: The last time the US seriously contemplated military action against Iran, cooler heads prevailed.

This time, Trump seems eager to intervene—framing Iranian leaders as desperate to negotiate because “they are tired of being beat up by the United States.” Whether this is strategic posturing or genuine preparation for strikes remains unclear, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. A US military attack on Iran would destabilize an already volatile Middle East and potentially drag American forces into yet another conflict in the region.

Meanwhile, Iranians are dying in the streets. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, posted that the protests have “shaken the foundations” of the Iranian government, adding: “The increase in gunfire against the people is not a sign of strength, but of fear.”