Trump Administration Considers Operation Sledgehammer If Iran War Resumes

The Il Sole 24 ORE live update tied the latest Iran-U.S. war developments to a reported “cost of war at 29 billion” and said the U.S. president was meeting with his national security team and senior U.S. military leadership to discuss future strategies for the conflict with Iran, including the possibility of resuming military action.

“Trump administration considers 'Operation Sledgehammer' if Iran war resumes: NBC US officials discussing new military campaign name amid concerns over congressional war authorization timeline, report says Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı 13 May 2026•Update: 13 May 2026 Canada The Trump administration is considering launching a renewed military campaign against Iran under a different operational name, including "Operation Sledgehammer," if the fragile ceasefire collapses, according to a report on Tuesday”

Anadolu Ajansı

The same Il Sole 24 ORE update said an earthquake was reported in Tehran on Tuesday, with Iranian media reporting it “without giving further details.”

Anadolu Ajansı

Il Sole 24 ORE also reported that Tehran threatened it would enrich uranium to 90% if attacked, quoting Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, saying, “We will discuss it in parliament.”

In the same account, Il Sole 24 ORE quoted Donald Trump saying, “Iran cannot get its hands on a nuclear weapon. That is a 100 per cent certainty,” as he spoke on the eve of his trip to China for a meeting with Xi Jinping.

NBC News reported that the Pentagon is considering officially renaming the war with Iran “Operation Sledgehammer” if the current ceasefire collapses and President Donald Trump decides to re-start major combat operations, citing two U.S. officials.

NBC News said the discussions about possibly replacing “Operation Epic Fury” with “Operation Sledgehammer” could allow Trump to argue that it restarts the 60-day clock that requires congressional authorization for war, and it described how Operation Epic Fury was paused after 40 days of fighting.

Il Sole 24 ORE

The Anadolu Ajansı report said NBC News described U.S. officials discussing replacing “Operation Epic Fury” with “Operation Sledgehammer” if Trump decides to restart large-scale combat operations, and it linked the naming debate to the 1973 War Powers Resolution timeline.

Anadolu Ajansı also quoted Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling reporters that “Operation Epic Fury” had concluded after Washington and Tehran agreed to halt hostilities last month and pursue negotiations.

NBC News said the U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire in recent days as Iran has halted ship passage in the Strait of Hormuz and Trump continues a blockade, while one U.S. official said, “The status quo will not persist.”

NBC News reported that on Sunday Iran presented the U.S. with its latest proposal to end the war through a mediator, and Trump quickly denounced the plan on social media, writing in all caps that it was “totally unacceptable!”

NBC News added that Trump was planning to meet with “a large group of generals” to discuss Iran, and it said Rubio, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others met Monday to discuss options for the way ahead with Iran.

Times Kuwait framed the same operational question around the War Powers Resolution, saying the proposed name would replace “Operation Epic Fury” and that a new operational name could allow the White House to argue that a renewed campaign would restart the 60-day congressional authorization clock.