The Trump administration is reportedly preparing a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, even as diplomatic channels remain open, according to US media reports citing sources with direct knowledge of the planning. As of Friday afternoon local time, no final decision had been taken, reports indicate.

Trump's Claims on Iran's Military Losses

Speaking at a rally in Rockland County, New York, President Donald Trump claimed that recent US military operations had severely degraded Iran's armed forces. 'Now, Iran, their Navy's gone, their air force is gone — everything's gone, their leaders are gone,' Trump told supporters. 'And if you read the fake news, you'd think they're doing just fine. They're not doing just fine. They want to settle so badly.'

Trump also invoked what he called 'Operation Epic Fury', describing Iran as 'the world's number one state sponsor of terror' and asserting that Tehran's military capabilities had been fundamentally weakened.

Nuclear Weapons: Washington's Red Line

The President repeatedly insisted that Iran would never be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. 'We're going to have to journey down to the Middle East,' Trump said. 'Because Iran is going to have a nuclear weapon if we don't stop them. And I said, we're going to have to do it, and we have stopped them.' He added: 'They're never going to have a nuclear weapon.'

Trump simultaneously claimed that Iran was actively seeking negotiations — a characterisation that has not been independently verified and which Tehran has not publicly confirmed.

Energy Prices and Economic Framing

The President framed the Iran confrontation as directly tied to US economic interests, arguing that resolving the standoff would drive down global oil prices. 'Oil prices are going to tumble as soon as I finish up with Iran, tumble, boom,' he said. Trump also cited the Dow Jones reaching 50,702 as evidence of his administration's economic strength.

Broader Rally Context

The Rockland County rally was primarily centred on immigration, crime, and tax policy, but Trump returned repeatedly to foreign policy themes, portraying military assertiveness as central to his presidency. He also claimed that his tariff agenda had reinforced the US economy despite global tensions, and invoked a reported exchange with the King of Saudi Arabia to illustrate what he described as a restoration of American global standing.

Trump's Iran remarks drew some of the loudest applause of the evening. With strike preparations reportedly underway and diplomacy still unresolved, the coming days are likely to be closely watched by governments across the Middle East and beyond.