U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at an event on maternal health in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, May 11, 2026. (Credit: Kent Nishimura / AFP)
BEIRUT — U.S. President Donald Trump is holding a meeting Monday with his national security team to review the situation in Iran, including the possibility of resuming military actions, after negotiations failed on Sunday, according to three U.S. officials cited by Axios.
Two U.S. officials said Trump is currently leaning toward some form of military action aimed at increasing pressure on the Iranian regime and obtaining concessions on its nuclear program. "He will tune them up a bit," one of them said. "I think we all know where this is going," added a second official.
Among the options under consideration is the revival of "Project Freedom," a U.S. mission aimed at securing the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which was suspended last week. Another option would be to resume airstrikes and target about 25% of the sites identified by the U.S. military that have not yet been attacked.
After more than a month of cease-fire, Iran and the United States have so far failed to reach a deal to put a lasting end to the war. In this context, Trump said during a phone call with a Fox News reporter Monday that he was considering reviving "Project Freedom." The operation had been paused on May 5.
Iran said Monday it had called for an end to hostilities throughout the region and the unfreezing of its assets, following Trump's rejection of the Iranian proposal in which Tehran responded to U.S. terms.
Israel hopes for special forces operation
Israel is also reportedly hoping for a special forces operation authorized by the U.S. president to secure Iranian stocks of enriched uranium, according to Axios. However, Israeli officials believe Trump remains hesitant due to the high risks involved.
The U.S. president must also take into account his planned trip to China this week. He is expected to leave on Wednesday and return on Friday, and officials said it is unlikely any military action would be ordered before his return. He is also expected to discuss the situation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as China has urged Tehran to reach a nuclear agreement with Washington and end the conflict, but with no success so far.
