Trump considers limited strike on Iran to force nuclear deal, report says

President Donald Trump is weighing a limited military strike on Iran aimed at compelling Tehran to accept a new nuclear agreement, according to a report Thursday in The Wall Street Journal citing sources familiar with the deliberations. Any operation could occur within days of approval and would target a select number of military or government installations, designed to intensify pressure while avoiding a full-scale attack that might trigger major retaliation.

Escalation Scenarios Under Review

If Iran refuses to comply with Trump's demand to cease nuclear enrichment activities, Washington could escalate to a broader campaign against regime facilities, potentially aimed at destabilizing the leadership in Tehran. One source indicated the president might pursue gradual escalation—beginning with smaller strikes and expanding operations as necessary—until Tehran either abandons its nuclear program or the regime collapses. Officials caution that Trump has not made a final decision but is actively reviewing options ranging from short, intensive campaigns targeting regime change to more limited strikes on government and military targets.

Diplomatic Deadline and Military Posture

The reported military planning comes as Trump stated Thursday that clarity on a potential Iran deal would emerge "over the next probably 10 days," warning that without a "meaningful agreement, bad things happen." His administration has significantly bolstered military presence in the region, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier en route, accompanied by additional fighter jets. Vice President JD Vance described recent Geneva talks as productive "in some ways" but noted Iran remains unwilling to engage on Trump's red lines, while Iranian officials characterized the atmosphere as "more constructive."

Regional War Risks

Officials and analysts caution that any military action could trigger Iranian retaliation, potentially drawing Washington into a wider regional conflict and endangering allies. The reported consideration of strikes follows last June's US bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump claimed "totally decimated" Iran's nuclear potential and created the current window for diplomacy. With the president's 10-day horizon for diplomatic clarity approaching, the military option appears to be receiving serious consideration as a tool to achieve what Trump has framed as the only acceptable outcome: preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability.