US President Donald Trump has said Washington could strike Iran as soon as “tomorrow,” or reach a “big, beautiful” agreement with Tehran, amid reports that he is weighing renewed attacks on the Islamic Republic.
“We’re thinking about doing it, and maybe tomorrow,” Trump told reporters when asked how far along he was in considering a possible attack.
“Do you really think I’m going to tell you if I’m going to do it?” he added.
Trump said Iran could still avoid further military action by reaching an agreement with the US, noting that “they want to make a deal, but the problem is, will they hold the deal?”
Trump argued that his goal was to prevent Iran from eventually developing a nuclear weapon, saying an earlier US operation involving B-2 bombers would not have been enough to guarantee a lasting outcome.
“I’ve got to make it permanent,” he said. “That’s the only reason I’m doing it.”
Post-election strike plans
The president also said that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had increased since the war began.
He offered no firm decision on what comes next, instead presenting both military action and negotiations as possible outcomes.
“I may have to finish it off, or maybe they’ll make a deal,” Trump said. “But I’m not sure. Either way, we win.”
Recent reporting, particularly by The New York Times, suggests that US and Israeli military preparations for renewed strikes against Iran after the American midterm elections are advancing, with detailed plans for a potentially brief but intensive offensive.
Citing US officials and people briefed on high-level deliberations, the newspaper reported that both militaries have stepped up exercises, including flights through Iraqi airspace to rehearse strike manoeuvres.
Potential targets include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenals.
The US-Israeli war with Iran, which began in February and led to a wider conflict in the Middle East, remains unresolved despite a ceasefire and an agreement to finalise a peace deal.
