President Donald Trump is reportedly considering escalating military action against the Iranian regime if it doesn’t return to the negotiating table.
The president told Axios on Thursday that he is weighing ramping up military operations against the regime, including airstrikes that would go further than the ones he ordered in late February. However, he indicated he has not made a final decision yet.
"I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it," he said.
Trump further stated that Israel “would join in two minutes if I ask them to” but stressed that the United States would not need their assistance.
More than 50,000 U.S. service members are operating across the Middle East as President Trump issues a stark warning to Iran. Trump says the U.S. will destroy “one bridge or power plant” for every time Iran fires on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 23, 2026
Trump also says Iran is “not… pic.twitter.com/3hY706FGVw
The president said Iranian leaders “want to negotiate” but aren’t ready to commit to a peace agreement because “They haven’t received enough pain yet.”
U.S. forces carried out 12 consecutive nightss of bombing against Iranian military targets. These include the regime’s maritime assets, missile and drone storage sites, and air defenses, according to CNN. Iranian state media said the strikes have killed at least two people at an Iraq-Iran border crossing.
🇮🇷⚠️Drone strikes by #Iran's Army against U.S. positions in #Arab countries over the past few hours
— Mahalaxmi Ramanathan (@MahalaxmiRaman) July 23, 2026
📢👍 The Islamic Republic of Iran Army, in response to the repeated U.S. aggression against areas of our country, carried out drone strikes in the twenty-first phase of Operation… pic.twitter.com/KhNvKAA1sI
Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen have activated, striking two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. In a post on Truth Social, Trump threatened “the U.S. will hold Iran responsible” for the attacks because the Houthis “are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran.”
Oil prices reportedly shot up to $100 per barrel for the first time since May as the conflict intensifies.
The House on Thursday approved a war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Trump’s authority to continue airstrikes against Iran without congressional approval.