President Donald Trump is weighing a major escalation in the conflict with Iran as negotiations appear close to collapse.
According to CNN, Trump’s advisers say he is now more seriously considering renewed military action than at any point in recent weeks.
Axios separately reported that two U.S. officials said Trump is leaning toward some form of strike designed to pressure Tehran into concessions over its nuclear program.
“He will tune them up a bit,” one U.S. official told Axios.
“I think we all know where this is going,” a second official said.
Among the options under discussion is restarting “Project Freedom,” the U.S. naval mission that escorted commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz before it was suspended last week, Axios reported.
Trump, 79, is also said to be considering resuming the bombing campaign against Iran and targeting additional sites previously identified by the Pentagon but not yet struck.
Israeli officials, however, are reportedly pushing for a far more aggressive move: a Special Forces mission aimed at securing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
However, Axios reported that Trump remains reluctant to authorize such an operation.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration itself remains divided, with some Pentagon officials arguing additional strikes are needed to force Iranian concessions, while others continue pushing for diplomacy, CNN reported.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Department of Defense for comment.
The deliberations come as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed since joint U.S.-Israeli strikes were launched on Feb. 28, stranding hundreds of ships and roughly 20,000 seafarers inside the Persian Gulf and causing energy prices to spike.
At the same time, negotiations aimed at ending the war appear stalled, with both Washington and Tehran rejecting each other’s demands.
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected Trump’s latest proposal for ending the war, which demanded that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat,” he said.
Trump responded angrily on Truth Social, writing: “I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it - TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”
Iran is insisting on an end to the U.S. naval blockade around Iranian ports, guarantees against future American attacks, compensation for war damage, and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz—conditions Washington has so far rejected.
Iran’s latest response has deepened doubts inside the administration about whether Tehran is negotiating seriously, according to CNN.
One major sticking point appears to be Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. Trump recently claimed Tehran had agreed to hand over the material to the United States, but said Iran appeared to reverse course after omitting the issue from its latest proposal.
There are also concerns inside the administration that Pakistani mediators involved in the talks have failed to fully communicate Trump’s frustration to Tehran.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intensify military action if negotiations fail. In a May 6 Truth Social post, he warned that if Iran refused a deal, “the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
The president met with his national security team Monday to discuss next steps.
“I have a plan. Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office before the meeting.
“The ceasefire with Iran is on massive life support,” he added.
A final decision on escalation is not expected before the end of the week while Trump is on a state visit to China.
