Trump Considers Resuming Large-Scale Military Actions Against Iran

President Donald Trump held discussions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Keen regarding options to restart military operations against Iran. However, he has decided to maintain diplomatic negotiations for the time being.

The Wall Street Journal cited informed U.S. officials stating that Trump’s talks centered on whether the United States should abandon negotiations and resume extensive attacks on Iran, a move some described as "mission termination."

Officials indicated that Trump has not made a final decision, telling his aides he believes another round of large-scale strikes could disrupt diplomacy and harm Washington’s chances of ultimately dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump reportedly informed his aides that he does not object to extending the deadline for a nuclear deal with Tehran beyond August 18, which would allow more time for talks.

At present, Trump appears content to conduct isolated strikes against Iran if it violates the "memorandum of understanding," a policy that sparked intermittent clashes over the weekend and undermined a fragile ceasefire reached two weeks ago.

The newspaper noted that Pentagon briefings on military options available to the president in case of conflict are routine; Trump regularly holds formal and informal meetings on Iran.

Recent discussions suggest Trump is exploring ways to break the stalemate with Tehran and has not ruled out returning to combat.

Some officials acknowledge that resuming conflict would implicitly admit failure of the widely publicized Iranian nuclear agreement.

Trump has stated that negotiations are progressing successfully and that he retains military options if talks fail. He told reporters last week, "They agree to everything I want, and they have to. Otherwise, we will come back and do what we have to do."

A White House official said Trump always prefers diplomacy and considers it wise for Iranians to strike a good deal with the United States.

On Tuesday, Trump’s envoys to Iran, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Doha for a new round of negotiations. However, they communicated through intermediaries rather than directly with their Iranian counterparts. Technical experts from both countries were scheduled to hold indirect talks this week.

The report quoted officials and analysts saying the U.S. and Iran have been engaged in negotiations for over a week following their agreement two weeks ago to hold talks lasting 60 days.

One major point of contention remains Iran’s insistence on charging billions of dollars in service fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States maintains that the waterway should remain open for passage as it was before the war erupted, while Tehran refuses to accept strict limits on its nuclear program. Trump insists Iran has already committed to such limits.

The newspaper explained that the U.S. established an emergency communication line between the Revolutionary Guard and U.S. Central Command in an effort to ease tensions.

Some U.S. officials cited in the report view this step as evidence of improving relations between Washington and Tehran, although others caution that the initiative remains in its early stages.

A White House official confirmed that the deconfliction channel is open and already being used by both sides.

The diplomatic deadlock has led Trump to consider alternative approaches. He consulted his aides for new ideas, with Hegseth and Keen presenting options to resume large-scale airstrikes on Iranian military sites, according to the newspaper.

Some U.S. officials note that Trump has repeatedly refused to authorize broad military operations. He once threatened to destroy Iranian civilization entirely and seize Kharg Island, Iran’s oil export hub, but retreated from both threats and returned to diplomatic efforts.

Earlier, Trump told his aides, "If we resort to bombing, which is very easy if we want, and continue bombing for two or three more weeks, they will have nothing left at all, and the strait will remain closed for months. If we bomb, many people will die. Who wants that? I don’t want that." He added that reaching an agreement would be "stronger than bombing."