Trump administration weighs new military strikes on Iran as diplomatic impasse continues

The Trump administration is considering a military escalation to break the diplomatic impasse with Iran, despite having formally notified Congress that Operation Epic Fury has been terminated.

Adm. Brad Cooper, chief of U.S. Central Command, testified Tuesday that American forces in the Middle East remain deeply entrenched in the region and are at the highest level of readiness.

"I am prepared to execute a broad range of contingencies," Cooper told the House Armed Services Committee. "We're prepared for further direction depending on how negotiations go."

Naval Blockade Remains in Effect

Cooper informed lawmakers that CENTCOM will maintain its blockade on all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. Since the blockade went into effect on April 13, the military has redirected 88 commercial vessels.

The United States has also disabled four boats "to ensure total compliance," according to CENTCOM.

Stalled Negotiations

Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked over how to resolve their nearly three-month conflict, with no discernible path toward a peace deal. Talks have foundered over:

• The specifics of Iran's nuclear program
• Access to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since the war began

Under normal conditions, the strait accounts for roughly one-fifth of global oil supply.

Trump's Remarks on Potential Strikes

President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that he had been "an hour away" from authorizing a major strike on the Islamic Republic but ultimately backed off after leaders from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia urged him to postpone the attack in favor of continued dialogue.

"The ships were all loaded — loaded to the brim — and we were all set to start," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Such a move would have ended the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

"I hope we don't have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit," he continued. "I'm not sure yet, you'll know very soon."

Trump stated that Iran has "two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something, maybe early next week – a limited period of time" to come to the negotiating table.

Vice President Vance's Comments

Vice President JD Vance, speaking at the White House press briefing Tuesday, stressed that the current conflict with Iran is "not a forever war."

"We're going to take care of business and come home," he said.

Vance led a U.S. delegation for face-to-face meetings with Iranian officials in Pakistan last month, but the talks failed to produce a breakthrough after 21 hours.

"We have an opportunity here, I think, to reset the relationship that has existed between Iran and the United States for 47 years," Vance said. "So, as the president just told me, we are locked and loaded. We don't want to go down that pathway, but the president is willing and able to go down that pathway if we have to."

Iran's Response

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded to Trump's threats, asserting that Iran is prepared to confront any military aggression.

"Iran, united and resolutely, is prepared to confront any military aggression," Gharibabadi wrote in a post on X. "For us, surrender holds no meaning; we either triumph or become martyrs."

Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.