NBC and The Atlantic Report White House Is Weighing Options to Resume Strikes on Iran; No Final Decision Yet

NBC reported early on Thursday, 8 October 2026, citing an unnamed US official, that Donald Trump has discussed with his national security team the possibility of resuming operations against Iran in the coming weeks. According to the official, the US administration still seeks a deal with Iran that covers core issues including the nuclear programme, and Washington and Tehran discussed the nuclear programme in indirect talks in New York this month.

The Atlantic had earlier written that the White House asked the Pentagon to prepare options for resuming strikes before the midterm elections on 3 November, though no final decision has been made. According to that report, CENTCOM is drawing up a list of targets and operational packages ranging from limited strikes to broader operations, and US officials acknowledge that limited strikes alone are unlikely to be enough to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, force Iran into negotiations or lower fuel prices before election day. The reports as published carry no on-the-record official confirmation; Iran has separately given its plan to mediators, and oil, gold and currency markets are sensitive to this news.