President Donald Trump faces a decision on whether to resume full-scale war against Iran after Republican midterm losses, and he said a decision is coming "soon," according to AP and Axios. The Trump Iran war decision would mark a major shift in a conflict that has already lasted about eight months.
After meeting with his national security advisers on Thursday, Trump said he will soon decide whether to resume all-out war in Iran now that the midterms are over, according to Axios. In an Oval Office exchange the same day, he said: "If we have to do the rest of the Iran thing, we’re very much locked in," according to PBS NewsHour headlines.
Trump has threatened to return to full-scale bombardment of Iran after the U.S. elections if Tehran does not reach a settlement acceptable to him, according to PBS NewsHour headlines.
Axios reports that Trump is considering three options: launch new strikes, continue economic pressure on Iran’s regime, or cut a deal that includes significant concessions. Axios was available only as a headline and short excerpt, so its details on the options are limited.
Markets appeared to react to the election. Brent crude fell below $95 a barrel on Wednesday, its lowest level in two months, according to PBS NewsHour headlines. AP says this signals that markets do not expect major strikes.
A weekend call also drew attention. Netanyahu pressed Trump for renewed strikes on Iran, and Trump would not commit to military action, according to a person briefed on the call. That person was not named, and no official has confirmed the account.
The war has been unpopular, and strikes and counterstrikes have caused tens of billions of dollars in damage. Oil is flowing again from the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. Navy escorts. The Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition are fighting in the Red Sea. Analysts say an escalation could worsen energy prices, which many voters cited in supporting Democrats.
Analysts quoted by AP outlined several possible military paths. These include "defensive strikes" backed by a naval blockade, strikes on the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear-linked facility, and massive attacks on Iranian infrastructure. No strike on Pickaxe Mountain has been confirmed. The option has come up in analysts’ descriptions and in Trump’s repeated suggestions.
The sources differ on why Republicans lost the midterms. AP reports that Trump initially blamed the GOP’s candidates for the big loss. Vice President JD Vance, in a social media post, said, "the reason we lost is the war." AP also reports that Trump largely agreed with Vance in his first comments after the election.
Several key points lack a response or confirmation. The sources include no response from the Iranian government. The White House has not responded to anonymous officials’ claims that Trump may be more willing to restart strikes after Nov. 3. Mediators’ optimism about a pathway to resolution comes from one unnamed official, who gave no details on talks.
Trump says a decision on resuming all-out war is coming soon. The options range from new strikes, including on Pickaxe Mountain, to continued economic pressure or a deal with concessions.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.