Trump signals more US strikes possible against Iran

Could the US really strike Iran again? That’s the question on my mind after reading Donald Trump’s latest comments, and the short answer is: yes, it’s still on the table, and he isn’t ruling it out.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, before flying off to a campaign rally in Iowa, Trump said the US had already “knocked the hell out of” Iran and suggested Washington “may do it a little bit further.” That’s about as direct as a warning gets from a sitting US president.

If you live in Kuwait, this isn’t just a headline from far away. We’re close enough to the Strait of Hormuz that any new round of strikes could affect shipping, fuel prices, and regional flight paths again, the way it did before. We covered Trump’s comments on no Iran talks just a day earlier, and this latest statement builds on that same message: no negotiations, but no promise to stand down either.

What exactly did Trump say?

Trump told reporters he knew there would be a political cost when he ordered the strikes, but said stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon was worth it. “There’s a price to pay, which I knew immediately when I did it. But we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Asked how Americans felt about the war, he said some backed him because they believed he was finally doing what earlier presidents avoided, while others likely disagreed. He didn’t name any specific poll or figure, just gave his own sense of the public mood.

This comes a day after Trump said Washington was not negotiating with Tehran at all, warning that “something one way or the other” would happen “fairly soon.” Together, the two statements paint a picture of a White House that hasn’t closed the door on more military action, even while avoiding direct talks.

So what are the actual plans?

According to the New York Times, US and Israeli military planners have already worked out options for new strikes on Iran, timed for after the US midterm elections. But the report is clear that it’s still uncertain whether Trump will actually give the green light. Nothing has been confirmed as decided policy yet, just plans sitting ready.

This fits a pattern we’ve been tracking. Earlier reporting suggested the US was weighing new Iran strikes even before this latest statement, and there’s also been talk of heavier options, including the so-called Mother of All Bombs being considered against Iran. None of this is confirmed as a final decision, but the pieces keep appearing in the same direction.

A quick recap: how did we get here?

The US and Israel launched military operations against Iran on 28 February, which triggered Iranian missile and drone attacks across the region. The fighting also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies, after Tehran effectively shut the waterway for a time.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in June, meant to lead to a full peace agreement. That process later collapsed, partly over disagreements about navigation rights through the strait. Iran has continued to claim it is intercepting US drones near Hormuz, including a recent 54th claimed drone shoot-down over Hormuz, a sign the standoff in the waterway hasn’t eased.

What this means if you’re in Kuwait

For residents and citizens here, the practical worry is the same one that’s come up all year: anything that shakes the Strait of Hormuz can shake fuel costs, shipping schedules, and regional flight routes. The ship that sank in the strait earlier this month is one example of how unpredictable things have already gotten there.

The US Embassy in Kuwait has already told American citizens here to stay alert given the wider regional risks, something we detailed in our piece on the US Embassy’s Mideast flight risk warning. If you’re flying through the region, it’s worth checking your airline’s latest routing before you travel, not after.

Quick answers