Trump weighs ‘decisive’ options as US builds pressure on Iran

ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump has not yet ordered military strikes against Iran, but he continues to press his aides for what he calls “decisive” options, as the United States increases its military presence in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to US officials cited by the newspaper, discussions are ongoing within the White House and the Pentagon even after Trump last week pulled back from authorizing strikes. The talks are taking place as Iran tightens internal control and intensifies a crackdown on protesters, with death toll estimates running into the thousands.

The US has begun deploying additional military assets to the region, including an aircraft carrier, fighter jets and advanced air-defense systems. Officials said these moves could mark the early stages of a broader buildup that would give Trump the capability to strike Iran if he decides to do so.

Trump has repeatedly used the term “decisive” in internal discussions to describe the impact he wants any US action to have on Tehran, prompting aides to refine a range of military options. These include limited strikes on facilities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as more expansive scenarios aimed at weakening or potentially toppling the regime, the report said.

So far, however, no final decision has been taken. US officials stressed that the president has not ruled out military action, particularly in response to Iran’s handling of protests amid a worsening economic crisis.

Death toll figures from the unrest vary widely. While lower estimates range between 2,000 and 3,000, US officials believe the actual number is much higher. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz recently cited UN assessments suggesting that as many as 18,000 people may have been killed.

When asked this week whether the US might still strike Iran, Trump said Tehran had backed down from plans to execute hundreds of detainees after Washington issued warnings. “We’re just going to have to see what happens with Iran,” he said.

Former officials and analysts told the Wall Street Journal that a key question facing the administration is whether US air power alone could force meaningful political change in Iran. They also warned that any serious effort to support protesters or undermine the regime could require a prolonged campaign lasting weeks or months.

“There are things military options can and can’t do during a human-rights crackdown,” retired Air Force Lieutenant General David Deptula was quoted as saying. “If you are really signing up to change the regime, that’s going to require significant air and ground operations.”

Meanwhile, the US military has accelerated deployments. F-15E fighter jets have landed in Jordan, while the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group have been observed moving toward the Persian Gulf. Additional Patriot and THAAD missile-defense systems are also expected to be sent to the region to counter any Iranian retaliation.

National Security Adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has discussed Iran with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, underscoring the importance of regional backing should an air campaign be launched.

Despite the military focus, some officials have questioned the political objectives of any strikes, particularly given the lack of a clear plan for governing Iran if the current leadership were removed. Others have suggested non-military measures, including tighter sanctions or support for protesters through online coordination.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said US financial pressure had already weakened Iran’s economy, contributing to public unrest. “This is economic statecraft, no shots fired,” he said at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

Trump has sent mixed signals on regime change. While he recently expressed doubts that Iranians would unite behind exiled figures such as Reza Pahlavi, he later said Iran needed “new leadership” and criticized Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for the crackdown.

Iran, for its part, has warned that any US strike—especially one targeting its leadership—would trigger a severe response. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said any attack on the supreme leader would amount to “all-out war.”

The report noted that while additional US deployments expand Washington’s military options, officials remain wary of escalation, particularly after Israel raised concerns about its own air defenses following last year’s conflict with Iran.

The Wall Street Journal said the situation underscores the tension between Trump’s past pledges to avoid new wars and the growing pressure to respond forcefully to developments inside Iran.