Trump weighs Iran attack as Tehran warns UK over U.S. bases
Trump told Axios he is close to deciding on larger Iran strikes, while oil prices stayed elevated and Tehran warned the UK.
By Theo Nakamura · Staff Writer
· 3 min read
A possible Trump Iran attack moved closer to the center of market risk after President Donald Trump told Axios he is nearing a decision on whether to order a larger strike campaign against Tehran. For everyday investors, the immediate read-through is oil: CNBC reported Friday that Brent crude stayed above $99 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded at $91.08, even as prices slipped about 1% in the morning.
Trump told Axios on Thursday that he was considering a “massive attack” on Iran and said the potential strikes would exceed earlier attacks in the conflict. He did not give Axios a specific timeline for making the decision.
The president said Israel would participate quickly if he asked, according to Axios, while also saying Israel could face Iranian retaliation if it joined the operation. Trump also told the outlet that Iran wants talks with the United States, while saying Tehran is not ready to reach an agreement.
What did Trump say about an Iran attack?
Trump told Axios he was “close to making a decision” and described U.S. forces as prepared for the possible operation. The comments came after CNBC reported that U.S. Central Command had carried out a 13th straight night of strikes against Iranian targets.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Thursday that Trump’s approach to the war was “a head for an eye.” Rubio said Iran would face a “very heavy price” for its actions.
The conflict has widened into the Red Sea, a key shipping route for energy markets. Trump said in a Truth Social post that the United States would hold Iran responsible for future attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, after the Iran-backed group claimed it hit two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
A proxy is an armed group or actor that operates with support from a larger state or patron. Trump described the Houthis as a “Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran” and said further attacks would bring “major military punishment” against both Iran and the Houthis.
The Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday and threatened to block the kingdom’s oil exports through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, CNBC reported. That matters for oil markets because disruptions to shipping routes can raise transport risk and tighten available supply, which can feed into fuel costs.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Thursday it had attacked U.S. military facilities at an American base in Jordan, according to Iranian state media.
Why is the UK involved?
Iran also escalated its warnings toward Europe. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday that any country participating in military action against Iran would be responsible for the consequences of that decision.
The ministry accused Britain of aligning with the United States and Israel, calling the U.K. an “accomplice” in the war. Iranian state media separately reported that an Iranian official warned European countries that allowing the United States to use their bases or territory would place them among the aggressors.
The U.K. said it “stands ready 24/7 to defend itself.” CNBC reported that Britain had allowed the United States to use British bases for defensive operations shortly after the U.S.-Iran war began, and that the arrangement was extended last week under Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Oil prices were still heading for a weekly gain of about 10% despite Friday’s morning pullback, according to CNBC. Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, remained above $99 a barrel, while WTI, the main U.S. benchmark, traded at $91.08.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
