The conflict between the United States and Iran may be entering a far more dangerous phase after President Donald Trump convened his top national security advisers for a high-level Situation Room meeting.
The closed-door session came as U.S. forces continued military operations against Iranian targets and the president publicly warned that even more devastating strikes could be on the horizon if Tehran refuses to negotiate.
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President Trump met Tuesday with senior members of his national security team to discuss plans for a significantly expanded military campaign against Iran, according to multiple sources familiar with the meeting.
Axios first reported that the discussions centered on military options extending well beyond the current U.S. strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, with the goal of increasing pressure on Iran to reopen the strategic waterway and accept U.S. demands regarding its nuclear program.
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According to the report, those attending the meeting included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and other senior national security officials.
The White House declined to comment on the meeting or the reported military discussions.
The meeting took place as U.S. forces carried out a fourth consecutive day of strikes targeting Iranian air-defense systems, radar installations, anti-ship missile positions and drone launch sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
According to U.S. officials, those operations are intended to significantly reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Iran has continued retaliatory attacks against U.S. positions in the region, including missile and drone strikes targeting American bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, while also threatening broader disruptions to Middle Eastern energy exports.
On Tuesday, the United States also implemented a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports as part of its broader military response.
Before entering the Situation Room, Trump signaled that the current campaign could expand dramatically if Iran refuses to negotiate.
“The U.S. military is going to hit Iran hard over the next three days,” Trump said during an interview with Fox News.
He added that the campaign could broaden even further afterward.
“Next week, it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants,” Trump said.
“Next week comes the bridges. We’re gonna knock out all their power plants. We’re gonna knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”
Trump also discussed Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground site that U.S. and Israeli officials have long viewed as a possible component of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
The president said U.S. intelligence continues monitoring activity at the facility but indicated there is currently little movement there.
“If there’s even just a small amount, we’ll hit it and we’ll hit it hard,” Trump said.
According to Trump, U.S. negotiators also communicated with Iranian officials Tuesday, delivering a blunt warning that Tehran must return to negotiations.
“I said, ‘You better make a deal, or you’re not gonna have anything left,’” the president said.
No final decision on any expanded military campaign has been publicly announced.
However, Tuesday’s Situation Room meeting underscores that the administration is actively weighing additional military options as both diplomatic efforts and combat operations continue simultaneously, Axios reported.
🚨 BREAKING: TRUMP JUST WENT INSIDE THE SITUATION ROOM AND WAS BRIEFED ON NEW STRIKES AGAINST IRAN… UH OH! 🚨
Kharg Island… Pickaxe Mountain… ALL ON THE TABLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8St3WO5WQr
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) July 16, 2026
Whether Iran chooses renewed negotiations or the conflict escalates into a broader regional war could depend on decisions made in the coming days by leaders in both Washington and Tehran.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
