Washington, DC – US President Donald Trump held an emergency meeting in the White House Situation Room to discuss strategic plans for a “large-scale” attack against Iran. According to three sources cited by Axios, the potential US military action would be more extensive and impactful than the strikes witnessed in the Strait of Hormuz region in recent days.
High-level security presence
The meeting saw broad participation from top U.S. national security officials, with President Trump joining Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Also in attendance were Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Cain, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and White House envoy Steve Witkopf. The White House declined to comment officially on the details of the discussions.
The nature of military plans and ongoing strikes
The meeting focused on formulating new plans to carry out “devastating strikes” targeting strategic sites deep inside Iran. It also included discussions on bolstering operations against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. This escalation follows a series of airstrikes launched by the US military for the fourth consecutive day. US Central Command (CENTCOM) targeted air defense systems, radars, anti-ship missile launchers, and drone launch sites along Iran’s southern coast. In addition to the airstrikes, the US naval blockade of Iranian ports officially went into effect Tuesday afternoon. US officials have confirmed that these operations are intended to fundamentally undermine Tehran’s ability to threaten international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s position: Continued strikes and negotiations
In remarks made early Wednesday to Fox News, President Trump emphasized that US strikes against Iran would continue until he deemed their objectives sufficiently achieved. Trump explained that Washington had sought to persuade Tehran to reach an agreement to de-escalate tensions. He noted that representatives from both sides held direct talks on Tuesday. The US president added that Tehran was still showing “some resistance” in the negotiations. However, he also pointed out that this resistance had significantly diminished. This opens the door to a possible settlement if Iran responds to US demands under mounting military pressure.
