Trump Orders New Iran Strikes as Soon as This Weekend, Eyes Energy Targets

President Trump ordered the U.S. military to prepare a new attack on Iran as soon as the weekend of Aug. 1-2, 2026, the Wall Street Journal reported July 31, citing unnamed U.S. officials; the strikes are reportedly intended to pressure Tehran into surrender. CBS News reported separately that the administration is considering striking Iranian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries and power plants, which would mark a major escalation. "We'll be hitting them very hard," Trump told reporters at a Camp David Cabinet meeting July 31.

Deliberately targeting civilian energy infrastructure could raise war-crimes concerns under international law, according to advocacy groups cited in reporting on the plans. The war, which began Feb. 28, 2026, has already strained U.S. munitions stocks and destroyer availability, and polls show voters broadly disapprove of Trump's handling of both the conflict and the economy ahead of the November midterms.

As of Aug. 1, the White House had not confirmed the reported strike plans; Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said only that "Iran will continue to pay" until it negotiates on terms Trump deems meaningful.