Trump met with top advisers on possibly expanding military action against Iran

US President Donald Trump met Friday with senior advisers and Cabinet members to consider expanding military action against Iran, The New York Times reported. The meeting comes as he reassesses US policy after a fragile cease-fire collapsed and negotiations aimed at a long-term denuclearization agreement broke down. In an interview with Axios on Thursday, Trump said: “I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it.” He also suggested Israel would likely not participate in any new escalation, warning that there could be “consequences” for Israel, apparently from Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington next week. Trump has repeatedly described the US-Israeli campaign as a brief “excursion,” though the conflict has now stretched to nearly five months. The cease-fire ended after Iran launched a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, followed by additional maritime attacks. The United States then resumed strikes on Iran and reinstated its military blockade of the strait. Over the past two weeks, Iranian attacks on US interests, including a military base in Jordan, have killed four American service members. Despite Trump's periodic threats of heavier bombing, Iran has continued its attacks. The US views some of Iran’s current leaders as more “hard-line” than those killed in earlier US-Israeli operations, the report said. Although Iran faces economic strain and a weakened military, its leadership appears more willing to endure a prolonged conflict with the US than any American president.