Trump Says US Could Strike Iran's Remaining Nuclear Sites in '10 Minutes'

President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States could strike Iran’s remaining suspected nuclear facilities in “10 minutes,” Middle East Monitor reported. The remark signals the possibility of further US military action, though the reporting available to this desk does not say whether a decision has been made.

What Trump said

According to Middle East Monitor, Trump framed the capability as immediate: Washington, he said, could hit what remains of Iran’s suspected nuclear infrastructure within minutes. The summary available to this desk does not include the setting of the remarks, the specific sites he had in mind, or any timeline for action.

The statement should be read as a claim about US capability, not as an announced order. It does not say that strikes are planned, and it does not say they have been ruled out.

An open decision

The comment follows a day in which Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had not decided whether to resume strikes. This desk covered that statement, which also noted Iranian envoys meeting Qatari mediators and a report linking the timing of any major operation to next week’s midterm elections. That link comes from a single report whose sourcing was not detailed, and neither the White House nor Rubio has confirmed it.

Taken together, Trump’s “10 minutes” remark and Rubio’s “no decision” position describe an administration keeping military options publicly available while a diplomatic channel remains open.

Iran’s military outlook

Separately, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson said Iran has bought Russian Su-35 fighter jets and expects to receive them after the war ends, Middle East Eye reported. The report, as summarized, does not give a delivery date, a quantity, or any confirmation from Moscow. The claim comes from the IRGC and is unverified by independent sources in the material reviewed.

The phrasing, “after the war ends,” implicitly acknowledges that the conflict is ongoing and that deliveries are not expected while it continues.

Shipping and oil

The statements come against a backdrop of continued disruption in the Gulf. The IRGC said four tankers hit mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a NewsCord roundup of how 21 outlets assigned blame. This desk’s earlier coverage detailed the IRGC’s account of the four tankers and Trump’s comment that the war would be wrapped up soon, and tracked oil spills from the tankers reaching the UAE coastline.

On the market side, OPEC+ held its December output targets, leaving supply policy unchanged while Gulf shipping risks persist.

What is not known

Several points remain unresolved in the available reporting:

• Whether Trump’s remark reflects an imminent decision or is a statement of readiness.
• Which facilities the administration considers “remaining” suspected nuclear sites.
• Whether the Qatar-mediated talks have produced any proposal.
• Whether the Su-35 purchase claim can be independently confirmed.

The next signals to watch are any further statements from Trump or Rubio, readouts from the Qatari mediators, and developments in the Strait of Hormuz. This article will be updated if any of those materially change the picture.