Trump Orders New Wave of Iran Strikes Aimed at Forcing Regime's Surrender
The U.S. military is weighing renewed strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, as officials warn Tehran could attempt to rebuild its nuclear capabilities.
Developing story — this page will be updated as information becomes available.
President Trump has ordered a new wave of military strikes against Iran aimed at forcing the Islamic Republic’s regime into surrender, according to Times of Israel reporting. The offensive could begin as early as this weekend and last several days.
The U.S. military is actively weighing the renewed campaign, The Hill reports, with officials warning that Tehran could attempt to rebuild its nuclear capabilities if left unchecked. AP News separately reported Thursday that Trump has threatened further strikes on Iran alongside a series of other regional developments.
Nuclear Rebuilding Drives the Urgency
The central concern motivating the renewed planning is Iran’s nuclear program. American officials told The Hill that Tehran could move to reconstitute its enrichment and weapons development capacity without sustained U.S. pressure — a calculation that appears to be pushing the administration toward continued military action rather than a pause for diplomatic engagement.
The objective, as framed by the Times of Israel, goes beyond deterrence: Trump is said to have ordered the campaign specifically to force the Iranian regime’s surrender. That stated goal represents a shift from the degradation framing that characterized earlier strikes and implies a sustained, multi-day operation rather than a single round of targeted hits.
Tehran’s Warning to Regional Partners
Iran’s regime responded Friday with a warning directed at countries aiding the United States: those supporting U.S. operations risk being “engulfed by the flames of war,” according to the Times of Israel. The threat appeared aimed at Gulf Arab states and others whose territory, airspace, or basing infrastructure could facilitate American operations.
The warning is a form of deterrence signaling — the regime attempting to fracture U.S. regional partnerships rather than confront American military power directly. Whether it complicates U.S. logistics or basing depends on how seriously Gulf governments weigh the threat against their interest in seeing Iran’s nuclear program kept in check.
Israel’s Role Unclear
Reports on Israeli involvement in the planned operation are conflicting. The Hill noted that Israel is reportedly “in on” the coming strikes, while the Times of Israel flagged that accounts of Israeli participation remain inconsistent. Israel has conducted independent operations against Iranian assets and proxy forces in recent months, and any formal coordination with the United States would carry significant diplomatic weight in the region.
The ambiguity around Israeli involvement may be deliberate. Uncertainty about Israel’s role complicates Iranian targeting decisions and leaves Tehran’s response options less clearly defined going into the weekend.
Regional Context
The planned offensive comes against a broader Middle East backdrop already under strain. Israeli strikes on Friday killed two people in Gaza and destroyed medicine storage warehouses, Reuters reported — a continuation of the Gaza campaign that has run in parallel with the Iran nuclear standoff throughout this period.
Elsewhere in the region, Turkey and Iraq signed a one-year oil pipeline deal this week, a signal that regional economic ties are continuing even as the military situation remains fluid. Read more: Turkey and Iraq Sign One-Year Oil Pipeline Deal.
Iran’s warning to countries aiding the United States adds pressure on Gulf partners who have been walking a careful line between American security guarantees and economic relationships with Tehran.
What to Watch
The next 48 to 72 hours are the critical near-term window. If the weekend launch timeline holds, the operation would represent the most sustained U.S. military campaign against Iran in the current cycle — multiple days of strikes with regime surrender as the stated goal, rather than a single deterrence message.
Key variables: whether the operation launches on schedule, the extent of Israeli participation, and how the Iranian regime responds. A military response from Tehran against Gulf partners or U.S. assets would broaden the conflict significantly. A diplomatic signal — offering talks or concessions — would test whether the strike campaign is achieving its stated objective of forcing a surrender.
Trump’s willingness to sustain military pressure on multiple fronts simultaneously is also shaping the broader posture of U.S. foreign policy. Earlier this week the administration faced scrutiny over its handling of air defense commitments in Europe, with Russia’s missile campaign continuing to inflict casualties in Ukrainian cities. Read: Trump Backs Off Air-Defense Pledge as Russian Missiles Kill.
The Iran decision and the European air defense question together define a White House managing active military commitments across multiple theaters, with no clear sign that either front is moving toward resolution in the near term.
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