Trump orders continued strikes on Iran, new round could begin Sunday: WSJ

The confrontation between the United States and Iran is entering a new phase of escalation, as the Wall Street Journal reported that a new round of US strikes against Iran could begin as early as Sunday. Washington is considering targeting energy and infrastructure facilities, while Tehran has threatened a broad response if such sites are attacked.

Citing informed sources, the newspaper said that US President Donald Trump has ordered continued military strikes after concluding that diplomatic efforts had failed to deliver the desired results. The attacks could begin over the weekend and last for several days, despite ongoing negotiations between the two sides.

The sources added that Trump told his aides he had lost confidence in reaching an understanding with Iran through negotiations, accusing Iranian officials of not taking the talks seriously, while reaffirming his commitment to preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

A US official revealed that the president is considering strikes targeting energy and infrastructure facilities inside Iran in the coming days, though no final decision has been made. The aim, the official explained, is to increase pressure on Tehran to accept US conditions in ceasefire talks.

The official added that the potential operation could see Israel participate for the first time in weeks, which may prompt Iran to resume rocket attacks on Israel.

These developments follow a meeting Trump held with his national security team at Camp David on Friday evening to review the war's progress and military options. According to the newspaper, he agreed to resume strikes after determining that previous operations had not achieved the desired level of deterrence.

In response, Iranian forces accused the United States of moving toward "escalating tensions" in the Middle East. Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, said Washington is "rapidly escalating tensions in the region."

Iran's Tasnim news agency also quoted a senior Iranian security official as saying that targeting Iranian infrastructure would be "madness," stressing that Tehran has prepared an extensive response plan targeting vital facilities in Israel and US energy infrastructure in the region, and is ready to implement it.

The report noted that the US president does not rule out expanding the list of targets inside Iran if Tehran continues to attack US forces or regional countries, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has vowed to continue its attacks, raising the likelihood of ongoing exchanges as prospects for a political settlement diminish.