President Donald Trump is weighing a return to major military operations against Iran after Republicans suffered a sweeping midterm election defeat.

Three Roads Out Of This

On Thursday, Trump said he would soon decide whether to resume military strikes, maintain economic pressure on Tehran or pursue a negotiated settlement, according to Axios.

The administration would decide whether to escalate strikes to completely dismantle Iran's nuclear program and prevent it from being rebuilt, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I will have to. You'll know soon enough," he added.

The president met with his top national security advisers on the same day to discuss Iran for the first time since the midterm elections, the report said.

The Pentagon Is Getting Ready

The U.S. Central Command is reportedly finalizing preparations for a potential resumption of major combat operations, although it has not received fresh orders from Washington.

The arrival of a third U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group could signal preparations for renewed attacks. The USS Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to make a port call in Singapore before reaching the region in mid-November.

Meanwhile, The Diplomats Are Still Talking

Regional mediators, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Oman, are working to advance a proposed agreement involving the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian funds and renewed nuclear inspections.

Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei also met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, saying Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or resume negotiations until Washington met its seven conditions.

According to a Reuters report, Trump's midterm setback could leave him less politically constrained abroad, with one source suggesting he has nothing to lose politically by escalating.

However, renewed attacks risk deepening divisions within Trump's MAGA base, particularly after Vice President JD Vance questioned the cost of the Iran war following the Republican defeat.

Markets Are Watching

Dow futures fell 311 points, or 0.60%, to 51,304.00, while S&P 500 futures were flat at 7,383.25 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 145.25 points, or 0.54%, to 26,897.25 as of 8:46 p.m. EST.

In commodities, WTI crude oil rose 0.51% to $90.98 per barrel, while Brent crude gained 0.75% to $99.03 per barrel. Natural gas added 0.31% to $2.956 per MMBtu.