President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that he is nearing a decision on whether to launch a “massive attack” against Iran, potentially surpassing the scale of previous strikes during ongoing tensions between the two countries. Speaking to Axios, Trump said preparations are in place for such an operation, though he has not finalized his decision. He added that Israel would join the effort immediately if requested but affirmed that the United States could act independently.

The remarks come amid a sharp rise in oil prices, with Brent crude briefly surpassing $100 per barrel amid escalating regional instability. The threat of intensified military action follows recent attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia from Yemen. The Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi ports including Yanbu, a critical hub for oil exports, heightening concerns over maritime security along vital shipping routes linking the Suez Canal to the Gulf of Aden.

According to multiple sources, including Iranian officials, Tehran recently dispatched Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel and military equipment to support the Houthis. The transfer occurred on July 13 as Iran encouraged the militia to block the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint through which roughly 12% of global trade transits. Maritime analysts warn that the Houthi attacks and the blockade pose severe risks to Saudi oil shipments and could complicate an already fragile oil supply chain.

In response to the tanker strikes, Trump issued a warning on social media, holding Iran responsible as the Houthis’ “surrogate and/or proxy” and threatening “major military punishment” if attacks continue. The Houthis' Saba news agency reported that the Encelia and Layla tankers were set ablaze in the assaults, though no casualties have been confirmed.

The growing escalation prompted voices of caution. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned the Security Council that the Middle East is approaching “the edge of the unimaginable” with crises feeding into one another and political objectives becoming obscured. Several Western governments have taken precautionary measures: the United Kingdom temporarily withdrew diplomatic personnel from Iran, Germany announced the withdrawal of naval vessels from the Red Sea, and the U.S. State Department advised American citizens in the region to prepare for potential disruptions.

In a related development, Trump clarified that U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program would be contingent on Riyadh normalizing relations with Israel via the Abraham Accords. However, it emerged that this condition had not been formally communicated to Saudi officials, who have historically linked normalization to progress on Palestinian statehood.

Meanwhile, the United States has increased its military rhetoric, threatening to target Iranian infrastructure, including an underground site allegedly housing uranium enrichment centrifuges. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the president’s stance as seeking retribution following Iranian attacks on American and allied military bases, but also suggested Iran is signaling openness to negotiations while warning Tehran of severe consequences for continued aggression.

Domestically, Trump faces mounting political pressure as his approach to the Iran crisis has proven unpopular with the U.S. public amid declining poll numbers ahead of the November midterm elections. The House of Representatives passed a resolution aimed at restricting U.S. military actions against Iran, marking a significant rebuke of the administration’s escalation strategy and underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the conflict’s trajectory.