Tensions are escalating on the global stage as President Donald Trump has called for an "unconditional surrender" by Iran. This demand was swiftly rejected by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
During his campaign, President Trump promised to end conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and to avoid entering any new foreign wars. However, his rhetoric regarding the war with Iran and Israel has left Americans questioning the possibility of U.S. involvement.
Now in the sixth day of the conflict, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that U.S. involvement would lead to an all-out war, saying "America would suffer more than Iran possibly could."
President Trump stood firm on Wednesday, telling reporters on the South White House lawn, "Two very simple words, very simple, 'unconditional surrender.'"
Experts, however, say an unconditional surrender is highly unlikely.
"The Iranian political elite was forged in the experience of the revolution of 1979 and the brutal eight-year Iran-Iraq war against Saddam Hussein. Iran did not quit during that war, and the political elite are quite aware that they can withstand a lot more pressure than what they have seen so far," said Dr. Ariel Ahram a professor at Virginia Tech and editor of the Middle East Journal.
Sina Azodi, an assistant professor of Middle East politics at George Washington University, said the only time Iran signed an agreement of that kind was in August of 1945. Adding that negotiations are also unlikely while hostilities in the region continue.
The division is not only apparent on the global stage, but also within the Republican party. Azodi explained that there are two camps of Republicans - those who support Israel's government and those who don't want tax dollars spent on foreign wars.
"The Americans who voted for him did so because he twice ran on the campaign of first ending wars, ending perpetual wars in the Middle East, and also not starting any wars. He called himself the president of peace. The president of peace cannot start a war," said Azodi.
Republican leaders like Lindsey Graham and Rick Scott expressed support for ending Iran's nuclear program. As lawmakers signal support, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson blasted Sen. Ted Cruz on the issue, questioning his knowledge of the country he want to "topple."
Trump has remained vague on his intentions, but he wouldn't necessarily need congressional approval to engage the U.S. military.
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"The War Powers Act grants the president a lot of latitude in making these types of military decisions. It would really be up to Congress to try and stop the president from doing these actions. Congress has the ability to do that, but so far there hasn't been much appetite for stopping Trump," said Ahram.
Ahram added that if congress were to act, they would have to act before Trump does. The scale of the conflict would become nearly impossible to rollback once the statutory limitations were reached.
"I think there are probably lots of Democrats who are in favor of the U.S. getting involved in this conflict as well," said Ahram.
"There's enormous risk this war can get larger, I think that there is a lot of chances of miscalculation, of mis-signals that could lead to escalations inadvertently," said Ahram.
The costs are already adding up. As Israel and Iran trade strikes, the death tolls are rising. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group claims more than 585 people have been killed in Iran, including 239 civilians.
Iran has fired 400 missiles and hundreds of drones killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds.
"Pregnant women have been killed, children have been killed, I personally know people who have been killed, their homes have been destroyed. So I think it must be mentioned that the toll on the civilian population has been high," said Azodi.
