President Donald Trump is considering another round of U.S. military strikes against Iranian forces around the Strait of Hormuz after two large tankers were hit in the strategic waterway and U.S. military officials detected efforts by Tehran to rebuild missile and radar capabilities, according to a report by Axios.
The proposed operation has been approved by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth but remains under consideration by Trump, Axios reported. The strikes would be intended to prevent Iran from restoring military systems that could threaten U.S. aircraft and commercial shipping moving through the strait.
The White House said Trump had not ruled out further military action. "the President retains all options at his disposal. The Iranians want to make a deal, but they are always a day late and a dollar short."
The deliberations intensified after U.S. Central Command detected Iranian activity aimed at rebuilding capabilities near the waterway. That included the launch of an anti-aircraft missile toward a U.S. fighter jet that was providing air cover for vessels transiting the strait, according to the report.
CENTCOM subsequently advised senior administration officials that U.S. forces could need to conduct periodic strikes against Iranian positions to preserve the ability of commercial ships to move through Hormuz. The prospect of recurring military action would mark a potentially significant expansion of Washington's effort to keep the passage open.
Tensions rose further after two large tankers were hit in the strait in recent hours. Iranian forces separately said Monday that a supertanker had been disabled and caught fire after striking two naval mines, adding to concerns that maritime traffic through one of the world's most important oil corridors could face prolonged disruption.
Days earlier, U.S. forces said they struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island. American officials said Iranian forces appeared to be preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has also escalated his public threats against Iran's energy infrastructure. He shared an AI-generated video depicting Kharg Island, the hub through which roughly 80% of Iran's oil exports are shipped, with a caption saying it was "being blown to smithereens."
Iran has responded with military action of its own. Local media reported that Iranian missiles were launched at U.S. bases in Jordan, while Iranian forces said they "destroyed the technical and repair infrastructure, as well as the enemy fighter deployment sites."
Iran's Foreign Ministry blamed Washington for the renewed escalation, saying the U.S. bears "full responsibility" for consequences arising from the initial American strikes.
Despite the expanding confrontation, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested Tuesday that Tehran could respond positively if Washington returned to the memorandum of understanding the two countries signed in June. Trump, however, has rejected a return to negotiations in recent days.
The administration is simultaneously preparing another layer of economic pressure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told The Associated Press that the U.S. plans to sanction an additional bank with ties to Tehran as part of a broader effort to tighten financial restrictions on Iran.
"This is going to be financial violence if we have to," Bessent said. "We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop."
