President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that he is nearing a decision on whether to authorize additional military strikes against Iran, suggesting that key infrastructure targets could be on the table as frustration grows over stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The comments came amid an increasingly tense standoff following the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and a subsequent exchange of military strikes between the United States and Iran.
Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, reporting from Tel Aviv, said Trump told him directly that he is “close” to ordering new military action targeting Iranian power plants and bridges. According to Yingst, the president believes Iran has been delaying the negotiating process while continuing to challenge American interests in the region.
The remarks represent one of Trump’s strongest signals yet that further military action remains under active consideration despite ongoing discussions aimed at ending the conflict.
“Now, interestingly, President Trump told me that he is getting close to ordering new strikes against Iranian power plants and bridges because he says the Iranians are tapping the United States along when it comes to the negotiating process,” Yingst reported.
The latest tensions follow the downing of an AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. While the aircraft was lost, both American pilots were successfully rescued.
What initially appeared to be a single military incident quickly developed into a broader confrontation. Since the helicopter was brought down, both the United States and Iran have carried out strikes against one another, fueling concerns that the conflict could continue to escalate even as both sides publicly discuss diplomacy.
According to Yingst, Trump expressed growing impatience with the pace of negotiations and suggested that Iran had missed an opportunity to reach an agreement under more favorable circumstances.
“He says the bully of the Middle East is dead,” Yingst reported. “And he told me, ‘I may keep going,’ when I asked him about a possible response to the Iranian missile fire that targeted U.S. forces in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan overnight.”
Those overnight attacks added another layer of uncertainty to an already fragile situation. Although negotiations remain ongoing, military actions by both sides have repeatedly threatened to undermine efforts to reach a broader settlement.
Yingst said Trump framed the issue as a choice that Iran had failed to make when it had the chance.
“The president said they had a chance to sign a deal and survive,” Yingst reported, noting that Trump again suggested additional strikes could be ordered if Iran continues what he described as delaying tactics at the negotiating table.
Trump also used social media Wednesday to intensify his criticism of Iranian leaders.
In a post on Truth Social, the president argued that Iran’s military capabilities had been severely degraded and accused Tehran of prolonging negotiations unnecessarily.
“Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess,” Trump wrote.
“Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – They have been completely defeated. Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”
The president’s comments underscore the delicate position facing negotiators as military pressure and diplomatic efforts continue simultaneously.
While both sides have continued discussing a potential agreement, the latest exchange of strikes demonstrates how quickly events on the ground can complicate those talks. Every new military action risks making a negotiated settlement more difficult, even as leaders continue to insist that a deal remains possible.
For now, Trump’s comments leave open the possibility that additional strikes could be forthcoming, while also highlighting the administration’s continued effort to push Iran toward a final agreement after months of negotiations and mounting regional tensions.
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