President Donald Trump returned from China on Friday, May 15, facing a critical decision on Iran, as senior aides prepared plans for a possible resumption of U.S. military strikes to break the current deadlock, according to a recent article by The New York Times.
Trump has not yet decided on his next move. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing to reach a compromise that would lead Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Trump to claim success after a costly and controversial military campaign. However, he dismissed Iran’s latest proposal as unacceptable, saying, “I looked at it, and if I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away.”
Trump confirmed he discussed Iran with Chinese President Xi Jinping, though he did not ask Beijing to pressure Tehran. Details of those talks remain unclear.
The Pentagon is preparing for a potential restart of Operation Epic Fury, which was paused after a ceasefire was declared on April 7. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. has “a plan to escalate if necessary,” while also considering scaling back deployments.
U.S. and Israeli officials are reportedly making their most intensive preparations since the ceasefire for possible renewed strikes, which could begin within days. Trump has framed the situation in stark terms, saying, “They’re either going to make a deal or they’re going to be decimated.”
Military options under consideration include expanded airstrikes on Iranian military and infrastructure targets, as well as potential ground operations involving Special Operations forces targeting nuclear sites such as Isfahan. Officials warn such missions would carry significant risks and could require thousands of additional troops.
Meanwhile, Iran has signalled readiness to respond. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the country’s forces are prepared for “all options” and warned that any aggression would be met with a strong response.
Despite weeks of prior strikes, U.S. officials acknowledge Iran has restored much of its missile capability, including most launch sites along the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining a continued threat to regional shipping and U.S. forces.
By Tamilla Hasanova
