‘We can do it in a more rapid fashion’: Trump signals more strikes against Iran could be looming

WASHINGTON —

Iran reported no U.S. strikes overnight, which is the first apparent break in fighting in two weeks. However, the war still seems far from over, with the U.S. military announcing Friday it fired on another ship trying to breach its blockade of Iranian ports.

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that there are options on the table for addressing the conflict, including a military exit or a diplomatic avenue. He also suggested that major strikes could be forthcoming.

“They want to be the tough guys, but they do want to make a deal,” Trump said. “There’s two ways. I mean, it’s — you can just keep doing exactly what we’re doing and take them apart piece by piece. We can do it in a more rapid fashion, which we might do, or we can negotiate with them, which we’re also doing right now.”

Both the U.S. and Iran have shown no signs of de-escalating, with both sides signaling their readiness to continue fighting.

A source told The Associated Press that Trump met with top national security aides to discuss escalating military attacks or potentially changing course, though it is unclear if any decisions were made during the meeting.

Adding to the uncertainty are Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. On Saturday morning, the group said it fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida. This comes after the group claimed responsibility for an attack on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.

This week, Trump threatened “major military punishment” against the Houthis if such actions persist.

The conflict has also impacted gas prices. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gas has risen to $4.11. That is nearly 38% higher than when the war began almost six months ago.

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