U.S. President Donald Trump has told senior advisers he may refrain from ordering new attacks on Iran if Tehran and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement avoid further provocations, according to three people familiar with the discussions cited by Reuters on Saturday.
Trump has not made a final decision, the sources said. In recent days, he has discussed the possibility of holding off on strikes during meetings with national security advisers and after receiving intelligence briefings. His position follows weeks of alternating public threats of renewed military action and statements suggesting he could wind down the conflict.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel in February, has become politically unpopular in the United States and has contributed to higher global fuel prices, Reuters reported. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted shortly before the Nov. 3 midterm elections found that 55% of Americans said the war was not worth its cost. Democrats won control of Congress in the elections; Vice President JD Vance cited the conflict as one reason Republicans lost control, according to the report.
Trump has sought the views of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in phone calls over the past two weeks. Both leaders urged him not to resume attacks, according to a senior U.S. official and another person familiar with the discussions. Trump made no commitment to either course of action.
Two people familiar with a call on Oct. 31 said Trump told Mohammed bin Salman he was planning an attack after the U.S. elections. The crown prince urged him to wait, arguing that sanctions were putting pressure on Iran. Turkey’s presidency has said Trump and Erdoğan spoke three times since Oct. 28. An official statement following their Nov. 7 call emphasized the need to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran.
A White House official said Trump remains the sole decision-maker on military action and described the United States as being in a strong position. The official cited U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz and what the administration characterized as a collapsing Iranian economy. Trump said in an interview with sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith on Thursday that he could end the conflict immediately but was extending the process at the request of countries the United States seeks to protect.
U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that a naval blockade and economic sanctions are damaging Iran’s economy and could continue to pressure Tehran, two U.S. officials briefed on the assessments told Reuters. The U.S. military is also seeking to prevent weapons and other sanctioned goods from entering Iran by land or through the Caspian Sea, the report said.
At the same time, U.S. military planners are prepared to escalate if ordered, according to three people familiar with the planning. A third aircraft carrier is expected to move to the Middle East in the coming days to replace one of the two currently operating in the region. The three could remain in the area if required, the sources said.
Further strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities are among the options being considered, according to one person familiar with Trump’s conversations with the Saudi and Turkish leaders. The United States has already struck those facilities, and the effectiveness of additional attacks is uncertain. U.S. intelligence assessments also concluded that renewed strikes would be unlikely to significantly change Iran’s demands in negotiations, two U.S. officials told Reuters.
Trump has received briefings on U.S. weapons stockpiles, some of which have fallen to concerning levels, according to people familiar with the intelligence briefings. Reuters previously reported in August that the United States had used “virtually all” of its long-range precision munitions; a source familiar with the matter said the weapons had not been replenished. A White House official disputed concerns about shortages, saying the military had enough ammunition to meet the president’s strategic objectives.
Israeli officials continue to press the Trump administration to launch another military campaign against Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters. Trump said in a social media post on Thursday that the United States did not need an agreement with Iran, but has not announced whether he will resume strikes. The public statements and reported private discussions leave the timing and direction of U.S. policy unresolved.
