The crisis between Washington and Tehran has escalated, after U.S. President Donald Trump held a meeting last night in the White House Situation Room with senior security and military officials to discuss options for expanding military operations against Iran, beyond the current strikes in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.

Potential U.S. Escalation Objectives

Axios reported, citing informed sources, that the potential escalation aims to inflict significant damage on Iran to force it to reopen the strait and return to negotiations regarding its nuclear program.

During an interview with Fox News, Trump hinted at expanding attacks, stating that the U.S. military could target Iranian power stations and bridges if Tehran does not respond to U.S. demands, and he did not rule out resorting to ground operations, indicating that there may be others who could carry them out on behalf of the United States.

The meeting included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Keen, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, along with several senior officials. Discussions focused on plans to target strategic sites within Iran, in parallel with ongoing operations in the Strait of Hormuz region.

Targeting Air Defense Systems

On the ground, U.S. forces continued their strikes for the fourth day, targeting air defense systems, radars, anti-ship missiles, and drone launch platforms, aiming to reduce Iran's ability to threaten navigation in the strait. The U.S. Central Command announced the execution of a seven-hour operation targeting dozens of sites within Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran continued its blatant aggressions by launching missiles and drones towards regional countries, with Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan experiencing new attacks that triggered alarm sirens. Kuwait announced it had controlled a fire at one of the targeted sites without any injuries. The commander of U.S. Central Command confirmed that Iran launched dozens of missiles and drones towards Gulf countries, noting the deployment of at least 19 U.S. warships, including aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship, in addition to hundreds of military aircraft in the Middle East.

Naval Blockade and Diplomatic Efforts

Simultaneously, the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports came into effect, prompting the Revolutionary Guard to threaten to halt all energy exports from the region, declaring, "Either oil and gas exports continue for everyone, or they will not continue for anyone." They announced the start of a new wave of attacks that they claimed targeted Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

Despite the escalation, U.S. officials confirmed the success of American forces in securing the passage of about 300 ships through the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, amid growing concerns about the widening confrontation and its impact on one of the world's most important maritime routes for oil and gas trade.

Alongside the military escalation, regional mediation efforts continue to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table, with reports indicating that Pakistan is leading diplomatic moves to revive the ceasefire agreement and resume negotiations. Trump confirmed that U.S. officials have communicated with the Iranian side, warning of an expansion of strikes in the coming days if an agreement is not reached. He noted that Washington is monitoring limited activity at a fortified underground Iranian nuclear site, affirming the United States' readiness to target it if any concerning activity is detected.