President Donald Trump appears to be considering more targeted and limited strikes on Iran rather than a full-scale war. As a major U.S. military buildup evolves in the Middle East, the president has reportedly given a number of options for the strike, reports The Wall Street Journal.
According to the outlet, Trump has long been discussing how to use America’s weapons in the best ways, as a potential campaign could start “within days.” The report said that the strikes would primarily target only military and government sites as an attempt to sway the regime into making a nuclear deal.
On Thursday, February 19, Trump issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that the U.S. could bomb the nation if a said agreement is not reached within 10 days. Speaking at the inauguration of his Board of Peace, the president said if Tehran fails to reach a “meaningful” agreement, “bad things” would happen.
President Donald Trump warned Iran that it must make a deal over its nuclear program and appeared to set a deadline of around 10 days before the US might take action. pic.twitter.com/bxTddfAe9x
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 19, 2026
“We may have to take it a step further or we may not. You’ll be finding out over the next probably 10 days,” the president warned. “I would think that would be enough time, 10, 15 days, pretty much maximum,” he told reporters.
If this tactic doesn’t work on Iranian officials, the U.S. administration might strike the military and government facilities in Iran in an attempt to oust the entire regime. However, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, “Only President Trump knows what he may or may not do.”
Overall, the Oval Office might have been discussing a larger plan of attack. Although Trump takes pride in being the “peace president,” significant U.S. air and naval assets built up in the Middle East say otherwise.
“Iran is a hot spot right now. Good talks are being had,” Trump said. “It’s proven to be over the years not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran – we have to make a meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen,” the president said at the Board of Peace inaugural meeting.
TENSION WITH TEHRAN: President Trump says Iran has no more than 10 to 15 days to reach a deal with the U.S. or face an “unfortunate” outcome.
The focus is largely on curbing Tehran’s advancing nuclear program.
The U.S. and Israel also want Iran to give up its long-range… pic.twitter.com/jUY8K8twpf
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 20, 2026
“An easy word to say but a hard word to produce – peace,” Trump stated amid reports that he could launch a strike on Iran “as soon as this weekend.” In summer 2025, he had launched some strikes in the region. Three days after the White House set a window for him to make a decision, Operation Midnight Hammer was launched. During that operation, the U.S. Air Force and Navy attacked at least three nuclear sites in Iran.
Meanwhile, amid Trump’s repeated threats, Tehran says in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that it would not start a war but “in the event that it is subjected to military aggression, Iran will respond decisively and proportionately.”
