Trump says he faces 'critical decision' on whether to resume all-out attack on Iran

President Donald Trump said Thursday (local time) that he has reached a critical crossroads over whether to resume large-scale attacks in the war against Iran.

Speaking in an interview with Axios, Trump said a major decision was approaching. "Do we attack them and annihilate them, or do we not? This is a critical decision," he said. "Anything can happen with me."

Trump also said Iran was in direct contact with the United States and still wanted to reach a deal.

According to Axios, Trump is set to meet with leaders of six Middle Eastern nations — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — in New York on Tuesday. Trump said he wanted to hear their views on the next phase of the Iran war firsthand. "I want to know where they stand, what the situation is," he said. "We have protected them very much."

However, Trump declined to say whether he would make a major decision on the Iran war before or after the November midterm elections, Axios said.

Trump has said publicly in recent weeks that the Iran war would end soon, but the conflict — which began in late February — has stalled. Amid the deadlock, Trump has maintained a naval blockade against Iran while stepping up economic pressure on the country.

US forces are supporting global energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, but volumes remain below prewar levels and oil prices are still elevated.

With no breakthrough in sight, some officials in the Trump administration believe Trump could resume large-scale combat operations if he fails to reach a ceasefire agreement with Iran before the midterm elections.

Axios said Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have ordered the military to maintain the current size of US forces deployed in the Middle East through the end of this year in preparation for a potential resumption of large-scale combat operations.

One official cautioned, however, that sustaining the current standby posture for an extended period would be difficult. "At some point, we have to decide what the ultimate goal is," the official said.