Trump leans toward expanding military operations in Iran — WSJ
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
President Donald Trump is leaning toward expanding US military operations in Iran. This comes after several days of briefings involving senior officials, according to The Wall Street Journal.
How US could expand operations in Iran
According to US officials, options for expansion include:
- Intensifying airstrikes
- Deploying ground forces to seize Iranian islands near the Strait of Hormuz
- Bombing a fortified facility that could be used for covert nuclear activities
- Airstrikes on other targets, including energy facilities.
Why Trump leaning toward expanding operations
Sources reported that on the evening of July 14, Trump held a meeting at the Situation Room to discuss the potential capture of Kharg Island and other territories along the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the possible bombing of a tunnel complex on Pickaxe Mountain linked to nuclear weapons (the US has not previously struck this site).
In addition, Trump discussed expanding airstrikes to target other sites in Iran, including energy facilities. In other words, this option also remains on the table.
According to officials, this conversation was one of many formal and informal meetings Trump has held in recent days with high-ranking officials, including:
- Vice President JD Vance
- Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
However, sources clarify that Trump has not yet made a final decision on further military action. So far, both privately and publicly, he has insisted that he would prefer to resolve the conflict with Iran through diplomatic means.
However, Iran did not capitulate to Trump’s demands to surrender its nuclear arsenal after several weeks of military strikes and a temporary agreement that would have allowed Tehran to earn billions of dollars by selling oil on the open market.
As a result, the diplomatic impasse prompted Trump to ask his aides for new escalation options that could force Iran to capitulate or, at the very least, promise to stop attacking merchant ships in the strait.
Some US officials have stated that Trump is reluctant to deploy ground troops. He has repeatedly backed away from his most serious public threats, including the seizure of Kharg Island and the Iranian oil industry.
But if Trump approves these plans, it will mark the start of the most dangerous phase of the nearly five-month-long war and draw the US even deeper into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which is likely to lead to higher gas prices and complicate Republicans’ plans for the midterm elections.
What Trump has already said publicly
A day earlier, Donald Trump gave several interviews in which he effectively confirmed that he is considering new military options.
In particular, he said that:
- The US plans to destroy Pickaxe Mountain
- The capture of Kharg Island is unlikely but not ruled out
- Iran would be better off striking a deal; otherwise, next week, the US will destroy bridges and power plants in that country.
What else important to know
US President Donald Trump recently officially notified Congress of the resumption of hostilities in Iran. According to media reports, the letter was sent on Friday, July 10.
Against the backdrop of renewed hostilities between the US and Iran, Trump announced a few days ago that Washington is reinstating the blockade of Iran’s seaports and intends to take control of the Strait of Hormuz.
