President Donald Trump has told senior advisers in recent days that he may refrain from launching further attacks on Iran if Tehran or the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen do not carry out any new provocations, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Trump has alternated between threatening to escalate the war with additional strikes and signaling a willingness to wind down hostilities. Current and former officials say he has yet to settle on a strategy for ending the unpopular conflict, which he launched alongside Israel in February.
During meetings with national security advisers and following a series of intelligence briefings, Trump said he was considering holding off on further strikes, the sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity.
The war has driven up global fuel prices and proved unpopular among American voters, who handed control of Congress to the Democrats in last week’s midterm elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted shortly before the November 3 elections found that 55% of Americans believed the war was not worth the cost. Vice President JD Vance cited the conflict as a reason for the Republicans’ congressional losses.
Trump’s private remarks follow public statements in which he has played down the likelihood of a renewed major military confrontation.
“As Commander-in-Chief, President Trump is the architect and sole decision-maker who holds all the cards and will always ensure that America’s interests are protected,” a White House official said in a statement. “The United States is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing. Only President Trump knows what he will do, and when.”
The CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to requests for comment.
US intelligence agencies have assessed that the American naval blockade and economic sanctions are damaging Iran’s economy and will continue to put pressure on Tehran, according to two US officials briefed on the intelligence.
Building on its months-long blockade of Iranian maritime traffic, the US military is also seeking to prevent weapons and other sanctioned materials from entering Iran by land or through the Caspian Sea, Reuters reported last week.
Military Options Remain on the Table
Despite Trump’s consideration of holding off on further attacks, the US military remains prepared to escalate the conflict if necessary, according to three other people familiar with US planning.
A third aircraft carrier is expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days to replace one of the two currently operating in the region. However, all three carriers could remain in the area if needed, the sources said.
One source said Trump could consider bombing Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. However, the United States has already struck those sites, and it remains unclear whether additional attacks would achieve their intended objectives.
US intelligence agencies have assessed that renewed strikes would not significantly change Iran’s negotiating demands, according to two US officials.
Trump has also received briefings on American weapons stockpiles, some of which have fallen to concerning levels, the two people familiar with the intelligence briefings said.
Reuters reported in August that the US had used “virtually all” of its long-range precision munitions. Another person briefed on the matter said those weapons had not yet been replenished.
“The United States Military has enough munitions and ammo to serve all of the Commander-in-Chief’s strategic goals and beyond,” the White House official said.
Israel Presses Washington to Resume Military Campaign
Israeli officials have continued to urge the Trump administration to launch another military campaign against Iran, according to a US official.
Trump indicated this week that the United States had already achieved what it could through negotiations, but he did not clarify whether military strikes would resume.
“We don’t need a deal with Iran,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Thursday. “We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!”
