President Trump approved attack plans on Iran Tuesday night but has not made a final decision on whether to strike the country and formally join Israel's ongoing air campaign, according to a senior intelligence source and a Defense Department official who spoke to CBS News.

Trump held off on deciding to strike in case Tehran agrees to abandon its nuclear program, the sources said. The Wall Street Journal first reported that news.

Trump's Strategic Calculations

"I like to make the final decision one second before it's due, because things change, especially with war," Trump told reporters Wednesday when asked about potential U.S. strikes on Iran.

"I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said, adding that he'd like Iran to negotiate on a deal to end its nuclear program.

CBS News previously reported that Trump was weighing a U.S. strike on Fordow, a subterranean uranium enrichment facility that Israel has not targeted in its attacks that began Friday. Iran has prepared missiles and equipment for strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East if the U.S. joins the Israeli campaign, according to intelligence officials.

Iran's Response

Iran rejected Trump's diplomatic overtures, saying Wednesday it "does NOT negotiate under duress" and would "respond to any threat with a counter-threat." Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. military intervention will be "accompanied by irreparable damage."

Trump said Tuesday the U.S. knows the whereabouts of Iran's supreme leader. "He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," Trump wrote on Truth Social. It had previously been reported that Trump had opposed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei.

The Ongoing Conflict

The Israel-Iran war began on June 13 when Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion," using over 200 fighter jets to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, military bases, and infrastructure. Israel said the preemptive action was necessary because Iran was weeks away from developing nuclear weapons.

Iran has retaliated with nearly 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones toward Israel, with about 35 missiles penetrating Israel's defensive systems. Iranian officials report 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel reports 24 civilian deaths.

The conflict has entered its sixth day, with both sides continuing to exchange strikes. Israeli attacks have targeted Tehran's capital for the first time, prompting mass evacuations as thousands of residents flee the city.