Trump signals he may intensify military operations in Iran as tensions flare in the region
President Donald Trump said Thursday he is considering intensifying military operations in Iran, as U.S. airstrikes entered their 13th consecutive night amid rising tensions in the region.
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump told Axios on Thursday that he is considering escalating military operations in Iran, as the conflict nears its sixth month and U.S. airstrikes continue for a 13th consecutive night.
“We’re doing very well against the Islamic Republic of Iran. We’re doing extremely well. They would like to do something, but I say they’re not ready yet. They need more of the same. They’re not ready yet. They have some evil intentions,” Trump said during a roundtable event Thursday at the Environmental Protection Agency.
The latest U.S. strikes follow claims by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels that they targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. Experts say this is an extra blow to the disruption already occurring in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command stated that the strikes were intended to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian sailors and commercial ships passing through regional waters.
The instability has caused oil prices to surge, with gas prices also rising. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gas last month was $3.93, and it has now increased to $4.11 per gallon. It was $2.98 the day the war started. Experts warn that gas prices may continue to rise if tensions remain high.
This comes as support for the war is slipping. On Thursday, the House narrowly passed a war powers resolution for the second time this session to rein in Trump’s ability to continue the war. However, the vote is mostly symbolic as the resolution is not legally binding. A handful of Republicans — Reps. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio — joined Democrats in their opposition to the war in Iran.
On Thursday, the Senate rejected a similar resolution, allowing the president to carry on with the military efforts.
According to recent polling that the Washington Post/Ipsos conducted in July, few Americans think the war in Iran has been worth fighting and most are not confident that the U.S. military action in Iran and negotiations to end the war will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
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