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By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
President Donald Trump is considering a major expansion of the United States military campaign against Iran after convening senior national security officials for a closed-door meeting in the White House Situation Room.
The discussions reportedly focused on options that would extend American operations beyond the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, potentially bringing strategic infrastructure, nuclear-related facilities and Iranian-controlled islands into the conflict. The White House has not publicly confirmed the details of the meeting.
Senior officials review broader attack plans
Trump was joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The meeting examined plans for a substantially larger offensive against Iran, including additional airstrikes against strategic targets beyond the coastal missile, radar, and drone positions targeted in recent operations.
Separate reporting indicated that officials also discussed the possible seizure of Kharg Island and other Iranian territory near the Strait of Hormuz, potentially involving American ground forces. Kharg Island is central to Iran’s energy export infrastructure and occupies a strategically important position in the Persian Gulf.
Pickaxe Mountain under surveillance
Another option reportedly under review involves a possible strike on Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply fortified tunnel complex that American and Israeli officials suspect could support covert Iranian nuclear activity.
Trump said the United States was monitoring activity at the site and suggested that American bunker-penetrating weapons could be used if evidence emerged that Iran was developing nuclear capabilities there.
The president acknowledged that activity around the facility appeared limited, but warned that even a small sign of prohibited work could trigger military action.
Threats against power plants and bridges
Trump has publicly warned that the current campaign could soon expand to Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
He said American forces would continue striking Iran heavily over the coming days and suggested that attacks on major infrastructure could begin the following week.
Such operations would represent a significant escalation from the present focus on air defence systems, anti-ship missile positions, drone launch sites and naval capabilities. They would also raise concerns about civilian casualties, disruption to essential services, and the risk of a prolonged regional war.
Strait of Hormuz remains central to the conflict
The immediate American campaign has concentrated on reducing Iran’s ability to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
United States officials say recent strikes have targeted radar systems, coastal defences, missile sites and drone facilities used to attack commercial vessels. Iran has continued retaliating with missile and drone attacks against American bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
Washington has also placed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, while claiming that American forces have helped coordinate the passage of hundreds of vessels through the strategic waterway.
Ground deployment would carry major risks
The possible use of American troops to seize Iranian islands would mark a dramatic shift from an air and naval campaign to direct territorial operations.
Any landing operation would expose United States forces to Iranian missiles, drones, mines, and coastal defences. It could also require a prolonged military presence to protect captured territory and maintain supply routes.
The option would therefore carry significantly greater operational and political risks than the current bombing campaign, particularly if Iranian forces launched sustained counterattacks or targeted American bases across the Gulf.
Diplomacy remains open, but under pressure
Trump has continued to say that he prefers a negotiated settlement, even while escalating military pressure.
According to the president, American representatives recently communicated with Iranian officials and demanded that Tehran return to the negotiating table. Trump warned that Iran risked losing much of its remaining military and strategic infrastructure if it refused.
The strategy appears designed to convince Tehran that continued resistance will bring increasingly severe consequences. Whether the pressure will produce negotiations or deepen Iranian resolve remains uncertain.
A dangerous turning point
The Situation Room discussions suggest that Washington is moving closer to decisions that could reshape the conflict.
Expanded airstrikes, attacks on energy infrastructure, operations against nuclear-related facilities, or the seizure of Iranian territory would each represent a major escalation. Combining several of those options could draw the United States into a broader and more difficult war than the administration has so far acknowledged.
For now, Trump appears to be maintaining both tracks, threatening overwhelming force while leaving open the possibility of a diplomatic agreement. The next decisions taken in Washington and Tehran may determine whether the crisis returns to negotiations or develops into a full-scale regional confrontation.